http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/14/sports/basketball/14nets.html
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Oct. 13 - Some Knicks players believe that after an off-season of cost-cutting moves, the Nets could be ready to be overtaken by the Knicks as the top team in the New York metropolitan area. Richard Jefferson does not agree.

"Similar statements were made after they got Stephon Marbury during the middle of last year,'' Jefferson said Wednesday. "And you guys know as well as I know that a lot of things are easier said than done."

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The Nets have won the Atlantic Division the past three seasons and swept the Knicks in four games in the first round of last season's playoffs. But that has not stopped the Knicks from looking forward to playing a Nets team that does not have Kenyon Martin or Kerry Kittles.

But the 24-year-old Jefferson, who signed a six-year, $78 million contract extension in the off-season, said the Nets were not the only team that had a face-lift this summer.

"They've had some changes," Jefferson said. "We've had some changes. But we have a lot of players here who, for three years now, have known nothing but winning. And we aren't just going to give it up just because there have been some changes."

The biggest change, of course, involved Martin, who was traded to Denver for three future first-round draft choices. Martin and the Knicks' Tim Thomas engaged in a verbal battle during last season's playoffs, after a hard foul by the Nets' Jason Collins in Game 1 knocked Thomas out of the series.

Thursday night's exhibition game will be Thomas's first game against the Nets since the playoffs. Thomas may still hold a grudge, but Jefferson said the Nets were not concerned.

"Good players hold grudges, but they don't necessarily make them known," Jefferson said. "That's not saying he's not a good player. But there's no need to talk, talk, talk and hype something up."

Jefferson said the Knicks had plenty of chances for redress during last season's playoffs.

"What was it, Game 1?" Jefferson said. "They had plenty of chances to get retribution. If they're going to wait until the preseason, it must have been a boring summer."