Byron Scott made all kinds of headlines at the beginning of the season when he said the Knicks and the Nets weren’t rivals.

Now, toward the end of the season, Scott has switched his position.

“After the first game of the season, it changed,” Scott said speaking of the Nets’ 101-99 win at the Garden. “They proved they were a good team. Even though we were the best team at that time, the margins have shrunk a little bit. I think it is a rivalry.”

While the Nets have beaten the Knicks eight-of-the-last-nine times, they’ve played close games as evidenced by the Nets’ six-point victory at the Meadowlands Wednesday night in which they didn’t pull away until the last six minutes.

Tonight, the two teams meet again at the Garden. The Knicks might not make the playoffs, but they have proven to Scott they are a better team.

“Like I said before, you can only have a rivalry if you have two good teams,” Scott said. “New York is a very good basketball team this year. In my mind, it is a rivalry again. I think that is great for the area again.”

Richard Jefferson has only been involved in the rivalry for two years, but he has seen an improvement in the Knicks that has turned what was an easy win into what is a hard one.

“It’s a great rivalry,” Jefferson said. “It’s fun playing against them. I like having an away game where you only have to travel 20 minutes. That is always a key. They have a good team. I think they are real close to being right there in the playoffs. I think next year there is no doubt they are in the playoffs.”

Jefferson said playing against teams that are still in playoff contention helps, because it prepares him and his teammates for the upcoming grind.

“Coming down the stretch, depending upon what types of teams you are playing you can get some great games,” Jefferson said. “I’d love to crush every team, don’t get me wrong, but I think it is also good to be tested down the stretch sometimes.”