Hurricane Sandy Forces Delay of Nets Opener 10.31.12 - 07:10pm

The City of New York is still reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. And with widespread damage throughout the five boroughs leaving millions powerless, the Nets have opted to delay their Brooklyn debut,

Jerry Stackhouse and the Nets were originally slated to open the 2012-13 season against their rival New York Knicks on Thursday evening at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. But after consulting with city officials and the league, the Nets decided the timing was not right.

The Barclays Center was undamaged by the storm, but the impact in the city forced a postponement (International Business Times).

Nets CEO Brett Yormark sent a letter to the fans on Wednesday afternoon announcing the postponement of the game:

"Mayor Bloomberg recommended to the NBA this afternoon that after further assessments of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, he felt it was in the best interests of New York City for the NBA to postpone the Brooklyn Nets-New York Knicks game scheduled for tomorrow night.

As a result, the game has been postponed for a date to be determined…Our hearts go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy. We know these are trying times for so many of you and our thoughts are with you."

Due to the widespread damage, much of the city's public transportation system, particularly the subway, has been shut down. Several tunnels entering the city and the Borough of Brooklyn are also closed, making it difficult for fans to attend Thursday's game. Yormark noted that additional bussing options will be available when the Nets open their season on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors.

Though Stack and the Nets will no longer open against their cross-town rival, General Manager Billy King still anticipates an electric atmosphere at the Barclays Center when the team makes its debut in Brooklyn on Saturday.

"It will be special," King told the New York Daily News. "It may not be the Knicks, but it's still going to be special."

Saturday's tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT and the game can be seen on YES.

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