Spike Lee talks Nets moving to Brooklyn and rivalry with the Knicks (Last night’s game recap)

This gives new meaning to the Battle of Brooklyn.

Marty Markowitz and filmmaker Spike Lee went one-on-one before last night’s much-anticipated matchup between the Knicks and the Nets at Brooklyn’s new Barclays Center.

After the cheerleading Brooklyn borough president challenged the movie mogul’s Brooklyn cred — in a video, of all things — the Knick uberfan fired back with a slam dunk tweet.

“With All Due Respect I Love BROOKLYN And New York Knickerbockers,” the Brooklyn-born and -raised Lee told his followers. “No Way EVER I Change. NYK.”

Earlier, Markowitz said Brooklynites who continued to root for what he called “the Manhattan Knicks” are “treasonous.”

“All I want is if the Knicks falter, which they’re going to,” Markowitz told Lee, “that you then make the Brooklyn Nets your second-favorite team.”

The Nets eked out a thrilling, 96-89 overtime victory — but Lee, as it turned out, wasn’t there, which was probably a good thing for him.

Markowitz found himself double-teamed even before the tip-off. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, on Lee’s side, took exception to the Brooklyn Beep’s trash talking.

“The ‘Manhattan’ Knicks?” Stringer asked. “Tell that to Carmelo “Red Hook” Anthony. This is a great night for New York City — and for basketball fans everywhere.”

Among the celebrities on hand for the historic game — the first regular-season matchup between two NBA teams from New York City — were Mayor Bloomberg, Michael Strahan, Charlie Rose, Richard Gere and, of course, Jay-Z, who is a part- owner of the Nets, and his wife, Beyoncé.

After the game, Jay-Z tweeted, “The city is under new management.’’

Below Spike Lee talks about the Nets moving to Brooklyn and their rivalry with the Knicks :

See Last nights Game Recap below :

Posted by : Mista Bless courtesy of the NY Post and NBA.com