NBA

Magic-al rookie, missed dunk doom Knicks in 2 OT loss

ORLANDO, Fla. — Devastating.

The Knicks got schooled by a rookie — even it was Rookie of the Year candidate Victor Oladipo, who took a hammer to the Knicks’ fading playoff chances.

Raising his game another notch, Oladipo had his career night against the Knicks — just as so many others have this season. With their top perimeter defender, Iman Shumpert, missing, Oladipo drove and dunked and passed his way for 30 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds as the Magic stunned the Knicks in double overtime, 129-121, at the Amway Center, wasting Carmelo Anthony’s 44 points.

The Knicks blew a 14-point, third-quarter lead, Tyson Chandler blew a dunk in the most impossible of ways in the first overtime and the club fell further behind the eighth seed after Charlotte’s victory.

It was the first game since the trading deadline passed with the club not making a move and it became a disaster. The Knicks trail both the Bobcats and Hawks by 4 ½ games for the eighth and seventh seeds, so a loss Saturday in Atlanta would put the Knicks 5 ½ games behind.

“I can’t imagine what that’s like,’’ Anthony said of the possibility of missing the postseason for the first time in his career.

“This time of the year, every loss is like five,’’ Chandler said. “You can’t have them — especially having the lead, controlling the entire game, obviously a game we should win.’’

The Knicks fell to 21-34 and their eight-game winning streak against Orlando ended after Oladipo scorched them all night and scored eight points in the second OT.

“Another game we gave away,’’ Anthony said. “We were up, had a comfortable lead. They fought back, never quit. Oladipo stepped up big time. We couldn’t put a string of defensive stops together.’’

“We played six minutes of defense the entire game, [including] the two overtimes,’’ embattled coach Mike Woodson said.

The Knicks dazzled for a while, then collapsed, wasting Anthony’s big night, in which he hit 10 straight shots at one juncture. But he again went cold in the fourth quarter and first overtime, scoring just six points as Orlando crept back.

Anthony scored all eight of the Knicks’ points in the second overtime, but it might never have gotten that far if not for Chandler’s blooper. Chandler’s alley-oop reverse slam went halfway down with 1:07 left in overtime, then bounced off his head and out of the basket.

After an officials’ replay review, offensive goaltending was ruled and the basket was waved off.

Chandler pleaded his case to the officials, but admitted afterward he didn’t know the rule.

“[Referee Dick Bavetta] said if the ball does go through the cylinder and hits a player’s head, it’s automatic offensive goaltending,’’ said Chandler, whose 14-point, 11-rebound ledger became tainted by two blown dunks. “I thought the rule was different, but I guess I’m wrong.’’

Everything is wrong with the Knicks and their late-game woes. They went scoreless for the first 2:52 of the second OT before Anthony hit two free throws.

“It’s 10 times worse,’’ Anthony said of the loss. “Just because of the magnitude of our situation — where we stand in the standings. Everything is 10 times more magnified and tougher to accept. This is a game we should’ve walked away with the win. We’re losing the game the same ways.’’

“It’s hard to swallow,’’ Raymond Felton said.

After Felton (15 points, eight assists) bricked a jumper in the second OT, Oladipo, second pick in the draft, converted a spectacular three-point play to put the Magic up 120-115 with 1:28 left. Oladipo got a half-step on fellow rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. (15 points), bulled into the lane and willed in a tough runner as he got clobbered. Oladipo’s free throw upped the Magic lead to five.

Anthony answered with a 3-pointer from up top with 1:11 left, making it 120-118. With the Knicks trailing by four, Anthony hit another 3-pointer to cut it to 122-121 with 40 seconds to go. But Oladipo drove the baseline again, past J.R. Smith for a rousing dunk and got fouled. He converted the three-point play and it was 125-121 with 30.7 seconds to go.

“He’s a great player, that’s why he got picked where he did in the draft,’’ Hardaway said.

In the first half, the Knicks were hotter than Kate Upton, who was sitting near the team’s bench along the baseline. They shot 57 percent in the first half to take a 60-53 lead, and then they caved defensively minus Shumpert.

“Iman’s going to be out for a couple of weeks — Timmy and J.R., we’ve got to get better on defense, it’s that simple,’’ Woodson said.