It was an ugly Garden night filled with boos, relentless “We want Jimmer’’ chants in the fourth quarter and a wild exchange between Carmelo Anthony and a heckler.
With the Knicks star watching from the bench during the final stages of a disgraceful 104-85 loss to the Blazers, a frustrated Anthony told the fan he should ask owner James Dolan for his money back and leave him alone.
It was rock bottom for the Knicks on a night Anthony showed he had lost his hops, even if it was a practice dunk, then lost his cool on the bench. It was a night of shame for Knicks fans — three of whom wore bags over their heads.
The late-game heckler got into it with Anthony and wound up being escorted from his seat by security.
“He kept calling my name, calling my name, said you guys suck, you guys suck,’’ Anthony said. “At that point, I was trying to gather myself. I turned around and all I did was pointed to Dolan. I told him, ‘Look, the owner’s right there, ask for your money back.’ At that point, he told me he wasn’t coming to another game. You just don’t want to hear that. I pointed to the owner and told him, ‘Look, you deal with that with him and see if you can get your money back.’ ’’
The Knicks fell to a season-worst 12 games under .500 at 25-37, amid a 3-15 stretch and dropped to 2-6 under interim coach Kurt Rambis.
In a further indictment, Anthony said things feel worse than last season’s 17-65 debacle.
“It’s tougher now,” he said. “At least last year we were starting from the bottom. This year we got off to a good start. If I had the answers, it would be a lot different.’’
Rambis finally surrendered to the chanting and put cult hero Jimmer Fredette into the game with 3:13 left in the blowout.
It likely was the final game of Fredette’s 10-day Knicks career and he served as more of a distraction and example of the franchise’s dysfunction. Rambis said he understood the chants for Fredette, who made 4-of-5 free throws, calling him “the hometown favorite.’’
Portland point guard Damian Lillard scored 24 of his 30 points in the first half against an overmatched Jose Calderon, who shot 2-of-8 and was booed mercilessly. Midway through the fourth quarter, Calderon missed two straight 3-pointers and the Garden’s favorite whipping boy was hit by vicious boos.
“We had trouble containing the guards most of the night,’’ Rambis said.
Kyle O’Quinn, thought to be an important signing, was also booed loudly as he bricked one after another on the way to a 3-of-10 showing.
Across the fourth quarter, the angry fans chanted “Jimmer’’ and “We want Jimmer’’ as the upstate Glens Falls product looked on sheepishly. When he finally arose from the bench, the fans stood and cheered. They roared every time he touched the ball, but he didn’t launch a shot, drawing two fouls.
One came after an inbounds with 0.8 seconds left. The home clock didn’t start when he got the ball at midcourt, dribbled ahead and launched a shot at the buzzer. The Blazers bench started yakking at Fredette for shooting.
This wasn’t one for the Anthony highlight reel.
Anthony scored 23 points but will be remembered for his after-the-whistle dunk attempt. After getting blocked inside, the ball went out of bounds. Anthony picked it up and tried to dunk it. The ball slammed off the front rim and he tumbled hard to the court. He laughed it off, but the 31-year-old’s hops aren’t what it used to be, especially coming off left knee surgery.
“I was trying to figure it out,’’ Anthony said. “My mind and body were telling me two different things. You got to laugh at yourself.’’
Or cry.