No Melo. No Christmas miracle. No spirit. No defense. And no excuses from embattled coach Mike Woodson.
The Knicks were on the receiving end of a 123-94 blowout by Oklahoma City as Kevin Durant lit up the Garden like a Christmas tree with 29 points in 32 minutes and point guard Russell Westbrook recorded a triple-double to a holiday soundtrack of jeers.
Carmelo Anthony, “a game-time decision,’’ surprisingly decided to sit out the 29-point rout, missing a game for the first time this season despite previously insisting he would gut out a sprained left ankle and play the nationally televised contest.
“He said he couldn’t go, so when he tells you he can’t go you got to listen and try to find it somewhere else,’’ Woodson said.
He found nothing. The Knicks already were without their top two point guards in Raymond Felton (groin) and Pablo Prigioni (toe).
That was no excuse, Woodson said, and his hot seat got a little more heated after the Knicks (9-19) lacked defensive grit in the final three quarters.
“I am always disappointed when we lose, especially the way we lost,’’ Woodson said. “I am competitive and wanted our guys to be competitive. We played in spurts but it wasn’t good enough and that is why it was so lopsided. We don’t have all our pieces and that is why it was lopsided but I don’t see this being a 30-point loss.’’
The Knicks fell to 4-11 at the Garden in suffering the worst home loss in NBA Christmas Day history, and a brief upper-deck chant of “Fire Dolan’’ could be heard, directed at owner James Dolan, early in the fourth quarter. There were plenty of boos across the afternoon and individual fans screamed “Fire Woodson!’’ during the fourth quarter, but nobody could rally up a sustained chant.
Even with the blowout loss, Woodson’s job doesn’t appear in imminent danger. The Knicks have a home-and-home Friday and Saturday against the division-leading Raptors. After the two games against Toronto, the Knicks have four days off, a potential window for a coaching change if they are swept.
“I believe in him,’’ J.R. Smith (20 points on 7-of-22 from the field) said of Woodson. “Hopefully everyone else does. I hear them [the boos]. When you lose, they’re going to boo. When you win, they’re going to cheer.’’
Westbrook posted a triple-double with 14 points, 10 assists and 13 rebounds — more rebounds than Tyson Chandler (nine) and Andrea Bargnani (two) combined.
“They picked us apart,’’ Chandler said. “We have to be better across the board. We have a lot of holes. If I started going over them all, I wouldn’t make it home for my kids to open their gifts.’’
Thunder coach Scott Brooks mouthed to his players in the first half, “Easy game, easy game,’’ and so it was.
“As the game went on, our defense got worse,’’ Woodson said. “We didn’t establish anything on defense. We just weren’t there today.’’
Durant rang up 20 points by halftime — on 7-of-9 shooting — and sat out the fourth quarter along with Westbrook. With the Knicks trying to collapse on Durant, big man Serge Ibaka capitalized inside and posted 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting. The Thunder shot 53.6 percent.
Late in the third quarter, Durant grabbed a rebound, took it downcourt and slithered past Tim Hardaway Jr. and Amar’e Stoudemire (22 points) on the way to an easy layup.
“When you’re not playing as good and the record shows, then any small play that breaks down, you get a little frustrated,’’ Stoudemire said. “We have to find a way to keep our confidence at times like that.’’
Oklahoma City’s backup point guard, Reggie Jackson, punctuated the blowout with a vicious driving dunk on Stoudemire late in the fourth. But there were ugly moments throughout — and that doesn’t even include the Knicks’ holiday-edition orange jerseys with sleeves.
Beno Udrih, who started at point guard, unleashed a wide open 3-pointer from the left corner that hit the side of the backboard.
Even Chandler looked shaky. After taking a perfect pass from Shumpert underneath, he blew an uncontested layup. Chandler’s frustration was evident when he body slammed Thabo Sefolosha to the floor one possession later.
“You get frustrated out there,’’ Chandler said. “I was frustrated. You’re out there battling. I’m not used to losing and don’t like to lose and it gets the best of you.’’