The performance was despicable, unprofessional and perplexing. And as Carmelo Anthony called it, “an embarrassment.’’
After two straight 30-point blowout wins gave indications they had turned a corner, the Knicks became a laughingstock again against the Celtics and got booed all Sunday afternoon by their horrified fans who suffered through the 41-point rout.
The Knicks made the first-place Celtics look like Boston’s old dynasty teams, Mike Woodson made rookie coach Brad Stevens look like the Coach of the Year and the Knicks got flattened, 114-73, in a wire-to-wire Garden matinee massacre that won’t help Woodson’s job security.
It was the second time in NBA history a club won two straight games by 30 points, then got blown out by 30 in the following game (the Rockets did it in March 2000), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
It was also the most lopsided score in the league this season.
Anthony was by far the most distraught player in the locker room, speaking in a hushed, shaky voice. While several teammates shrugged it off as a day they missed early shots and let it affect defensive intensity, Anthony went deeper.
Asked if he was puzzled by the reversal, Anthony said, “That might be a understatement. It was an embarrassment to lose like that on our home court. I think everybody should be [ticked] off.’’
“It was a good old fashioned [butt]-whipping to me,’’ Anthony added.
After consecutive routs over the Nets and Magic, Raymond Felton had said the wins were “no fluke’’ and J.R. Smith promised the club wouldn’t get “complacent.’’
They both lied.
All the Knicks played as if affected by the noon start. Their starters combined for 29 points with Anthony the only one in double-figures and three totaling just two points. Boston’s starting five all reached double-figures, combining for 89 points. The Celtics were led by Jordan Crawford’s 23.
The backcourt of Felton and Iman Shumpert played disgracefully. Each was scoreless, each 0-for-6 before getting benched in tandem early in the third quarter. Shumpert had said he was “mad at the world’’ but should be mad at himself for Sunday’s stinkfest. Andrea Bargnani, too, was a no-show — two points on 1-of-7 shooting.
“I wish I could explain it,’’ said Woodson, who looked beaten down. “I didn’t see this coming.’’
Woodson often holds a special shootaround the day before a noon start. But in preparation, Woodson asked the players to get to the Garden by 9:30 a.m. for a walk-through.
Woodson took the blame. He also made a bad choice in starting rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. to replace injured Kenyon Martin (ankle) in a small lineup instead of going with the tried-and-true Pablo Prigioni-Felton backcourt.
“It just goes to show you if you don’t come out ready to play, and a lot of that is on me as a coach,’’ Woodson said. “I can’t have our guys stepping on the floor and doing what they did today.’’
Anthony looked disinterested from the outset — a flat 5-of-15, 19-point outing. After all the literature regarding his new mind-set of sharing the wealth, shooting less to make teammates better, he resorted to pounding the ball into the ground and forcing contested shots, setting a bad tone.
“It was a ugly, nasty game,’’ Felton said.
Anthony didn’t absolve himself of the low energy, admitting it was “night and day’’ in contrast to their two straight wins.
“I know coach and what kind of guy he is,’’ Anthony said. “He’s always going to put it on him. We’re the guys going out there and not giving him the effort. Not giving ourself the effort or a chance to win the basketball game.’’
The Knicks, in falling to 0-6 in their alternate orange uniforms, now trail the Celtics by 3 ½ games in the Atlantic Division. Stevens, of Butler fame, outmaneuvered Woodson as the Celts won for the sixth time in their last eight to move to 10-12.
The Knicks fell to 5-14 after shooting 34.2 percent to Boston’s 54.2 percent. The Knicks next Garden game is Wednesday against Chicago when potential coaching candidate Jeff Van Gundy will be in the arena as a broadcaster.
The fans booed the Knicks much of the afternoon though showed restraint without a single “Fire Woodson’’ chant. Owner James Dolan was on hand, arms folded, his trademark scowl in place. He left his baseline seat at halftime, but returned early in the third quarter.
Woodson appeared to buy time after the Knicks had posted their first consecutive 30-point wins since 1997. But the Knicks were that bad Sunday to wonder if Dolan’s confidence is again wavering.
In a stunning return to the gutter, the Knicks fell behind 12-0 after missing their first nine shots. They then fell behind by the obscene counts of 18-1, 25-3, 32-7, and finished the first quarter trailing 34-11. It was 58-31 at intermission and Woodson exited with a shell-shocked look.
“I’m not happy how we played,’’ Woodson said. “Nobody in the locker room should be happy.’’
“We took a step back today,’’ Anthony said. “We have to go home and think about it. We’ll talk about it [Monday] and do something about it.’’