Brooklyn Nets schedule 2013: Ready to challenge the contenders

Brooklyn had a roster full of big names last season, but it was missing the winning ingredients. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett join the Nets for 2013-14 with the goal of teaching talent how to win.

The Nets flopped in the first round of last year's playoffs against an undermanned Chicago Bulls squad that had the very fight Brooklyn is looking for this time around. Because of the additions of Pierce and Garnett and a likelihood they follow through in bringing an edge to a team that includes All-Stars Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson, Brooklyn seems bound to create a few more enemies. Across the river in Manhattan, they already have.

Nov. 16 at Clippers -- The Clippers are the Western Conference version of the Nets, the squad filled to the brim with talent, but learning how to play postseason basketball. And like the Nets, the influence of a former Celtic is also in Los Angeles in the form of head coach Doc Rivers.

Dec. 5 vs. Knicks -- Upon arriving in Brooklyn, Pierce was quick to announce his distaste for the New York Knicks. A war of words has already begun in the Battle of the Boroughs with Raymond Felton and J.R. Smith responding to Pierce's edgy comments. The Dec. 5 matchup is only the first meeting of what should be an even more intense series between the two teams -- it's also coach Jason Kidd's first game against his old team. The Knicks and Nets also meet on April 2, April 15 and Jan. 20.

Dec. 25 vs. Bulls -- Chicago has Derrick Rose back for the season, and the Nets have a bone to pick after falling to the injury-riddled Bulls this past postseason. Among the steps in building a postseason style of toughness will be using the first-round series loss to Chicago as motivation. Christmas Day will be a big one for Kidd's team.