NUTS! With Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett (top) facing off against each other again last night, fans tried to get in Melo’s head with all the Honey Nut Cheerios T-shirts and signs (bottom) they could bring into the building. (Anthony J. Causi)
BOSTON — Peace ruled and so did Carmelo Anthony’s Knicks.
Anthony let his game do the talking last night and trashed TD North Garden. He scored 28 points with nine rebounds and three assists as the Knicks snapped an 11-game losing streak in Beantown, winning here for the first time since 2006 with an 89-86 victory before the expected rowdy crowd.
Yes, it was sweeter than Honey Nut Cheerios. Instead of lingering after the game by the Celtics bus for Kevin Garnett, Anthony sat on a trainer’s table in the visitor’s locker room, basking in the congratulations of the coaches and training staff.
“The whole night was satisfying to me, just to win in this building,’’ Anthony said. “It’s been a long time coming for a win here. I wasn’t looking forward to any 1-on-1 matchups between myself and Garnett.’’
Anthony was “jeerioed’’ loudly during pregame introductions and the crowd was boisterous, booing Anthony when he touched the ball. But the crowd never got out of hand nor did the players, especially Anthony. They all refrained from the trash-talking and extra physicality found in the Jan. 7 debacle.
Instead of being matched against Garnett (eight points), Anthony did his work against the young Jeff Green. He shot just 11 of 28, largely because of a struggling 4 of 13 first half. It wasn’t a great shooting performance but a lot sounder than his 6 of 26 clunker in the Jan. 7 debacle.
“He didn’t let things get to him,” coach Mike Woodson said. “Melo was solid from beginning to end, even though he didn’t shoot it well. We came into a hostile environment and won a game.”
Before the opening tip-off, Antony and Garnett traded fist-bumps. Anthony even lifted Garnett up off the floor in the fourth quarter when he took a spill.
“No grudges,’’ Anthony said.
One arena source said security was beefed up more than 25 percent for the contest and five Boston policemen stood 10 yards from the Knicks locker room for an hour after the game.
According to a Celtics official, fans brandishing posters making reference to “Honey Nut Cheerios’’ were confiscated, as were a couple of Cheerios boxes. A security guard told The Post: “Most of them were taken away when they came in.’’
One poster found its way behind the Knicks bench, where a fan brandished a sign that read “Melo out — with the “O’’ a picture of a Cheerio.
“It was cool, it was cool,’’ Anthony said. “We’re on the road, so for me it was just a matter of blocking everything out and really locking in from a basketball standpoint and try not to worry about the crowd.’’
The NBA sent a no-nonsense officiating crew that included Joey Crawford and Dick Bavetta.
“Before we stepped on the court, we knew what kind of game it would be,’’ Anthony said. “It was a great officiated game. When New York-Boston plays each other, that’s how the game should be handled.’’
Anthony admitted the hype was out of control. There was even a report yesterday Anthony had brought his personal security man to Boston.
“He comes to every game,’’ Anthony said. “You just happened to see him.’’
Stone-cold J.R. Smith, who scored just nine points, made the biggest shot and biggest defensive play in the final 1:11.
After Garnett missed a jumper with 1:35 left, blowing a chance to tie. Smith, 2 of 15 at the time, drained a right-wing 3 pointer after taking a feed from Anthony, who was doubled. That jacked the lead to 89-84 with 1:11 left.
“Give J.R. credit, he’s going to keep shooting and that’s what he should do,’’ Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.
Then Smith made a nice defensive stop on Paul Pierce, who dribbled the ball off his foot and out of bounds with 7.1 seconds remaining as Smith hounded him. The Celtics failed to intentionally foul the Knicks in the final seconds as the Knicks threw quick passes until the buzzer sounded.
Anthony said in the days leading into the rematch he just wanted “a win’’ and not another Garnett fracas that got him suspended one game, and he got what he wanted.
“He responded exactly like he was supposed to,’’ Tyson Chandler said.
Amar’e Stoudemire also had his most active game yet with 15 points, nine rebounds and a key tip-in down the stretch in his 10th game back from left knee surgery.
Anthony capped a big third quarter by draining a right wing 3-poiner to put the Knicks up 75-68 and silencing the crowd. He was 4 of 9 in the third quarter after his rough first half.
“Just take my time,’’ Anthony said. “They double-teamed. Just make the right passes and right plays. Other guys on the team made big shots. When it was my turn. I try to do what I do best.’’
The 20-22 Celtics, led by Rajon Rondo’s triple-double of 23 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, dropped their fifth straight while the Knicks moved to 26-14.
“Our mindset was come in here and get this win,” Antony said. “We stayed the course and won the game.’’