Mayor: NYC Marathon will go on as planned, Nets opener in Brooklyn won't

Runners make their way down 44th Drive in the Queens borough of New York during the New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011, in New York. / AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek

NEW YORK Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the NYC Marathon will go on as planned Sunday after superstorm Sandy devastated the city.

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Superstorm floods New York City

Marathon organizers had been moving forward with planning but awaited final word from the city about whether holding the race would be safe and viable with flooding, power outages and transit shutdowns still afflicting the five boroughs.

New York Road Runners President Mary Wittenberg said Wednesday that organizers were preparing to use more private contractors than past years to reduce the strain on city services. Wittenberg insists the race can be an inspiration to New Yorkers and benefit businesses that have lost money because of the storm.

However, Bloomberg said the game between the Knicks and Nets scheduled for Thursday night at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn has been postponed after damage from Sandy.

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Though the NBA had said Tuesday night the game would go on as planned, it was decided Wednesday to be called off, the mayor confirmed.

The Barclays Center sits above a subway station and commuter rail terminal and with most of mass transit still out in New York, transportation to the game would have been difficult.