NBA

Knicks get ‘payback’ with win over Wizards

WASHINGTON — This time, the Knicks owned the fourth quarter and owned the Wizards’ John Wall. Now they need to duplicate Friday night’s fourth- quarter effort tomorrow at the Garden against the raging Heat.

In gearing up for the matinee showdown versus Miami, the Knicks won their third straight last night, 96-88, gaining “payback’’ on the Wizards. Carmelo Anthony led the way with 30 points and Raymond Felton outplayed a shaky Wall, who had five turnovers and was held to 16 points and six assists at sold-out Verizon Center.

Felton scored 23 points with four assists and six rebounds and hit a game-sealing floater in the lane with 32.4 seconds left for the clincher, giving the Knicks a 94-88 lead. The Wizards shot 3-of-17 from the field in the fourth quarter en route to just 11 points — 25 less than in their previous meeting three weeks ago.

“We didn’t want to let his one get away,’’ Anthony said. “We know what happened in the fourth quarter last time. We stuck to our schemes, got stops, got in transition. I didn’t have to do it myself down the stretch. Raymond controlled the pace of the game.”

Bring on the Heat, owners of the Eastern Conference’s best record and 13 straight victories, but who have been routed twice this season by the Knicks.

“They’re a great team, they’re going to make adjustments,’’ Anthony said. “But we will be prepared for Miami.’’

“It’s a good time to see what we got,’’ Tyson Chandler said.

The Knicks (35-20) made their adjustments against Washington. Since Wall came back from a prolonged knee injury, the Wizards have a winning record (13-11). Wall’s Wizards pounded the Knicks three weeks ago when Wall dominated and Washington scored 36 points in the fourth.

Anthony called it a “payback game’’ before tip-off and it became just that. The Knicks trailed 77-73 entering the fourth after blowing an 11-point third-quarter lead. But they went on an 8-0 run to seize the momentum and won the quarter, 23-11.

“Our defense really came alive,’’ coach Mike Woodson said.

Woodson changed the starting lineup, yanking the offensively challenged Jason Kidd and putting in little-used James White. It broke up the Felton-Kidd-Iman Shumpert triumvirate that never clicked in 17 straight games.

Woodson wanted Kidd to come off the bench and go back to his normal role of point guard instead of shooting guard. It was a shake-up Kidd badly needed. He had a livelier night with four points and five assists and Felton thrived.

Kidd, who had been scoreless in three of the previous five games, was even joking about his offensive slump afterward, saying, “I didn’t come into this league as a scorer and it doesn’t look like I’m going to go out as a scorer.’’

“This lineup,’’ Anthony said, “is going to take the pressure off Jason. He can make plays. We don’t expect him to go out there and make 3s. Not his game.’’

Last night, Wall let his emotions get the best of him. Wall caught up with a sprinting Kidd on the fastbreak and looked to have a clean block of Kidd’s layup. But goaltending was called and Wall raced to the sideline, swinging his arm in anger, picking up a technical foul. Anthony hit the free throw for the three-point play and Knicks took a 78-77 lead they would never relinquish.

“I feel like I lost the game for us … a couple of turnovers in transition in the fourth quarter,’’ said Wall, who had two points and two turnovers in the final frame.

Meanwhile, Felton guided the Knicks smoothly down the stretch.

“Was just taking what the defense was giving me,’’ he said. “Using the screen and roll and my options. Any win is sweet at this point.’’

“He was aggressive and that’s what we’re pushing him to do,’’ Woodson said.

“He controlled the game,’’ Chandler said. “That’s what you need your point guard to do.’’

Washington rookie Bradley Beal picked up the slack from Wall and rang up 29 points. J.R. Smith (13 points) and Amar’e Stoudemire (12 points) gave the Knicks a boost off the bench.

The only down note of the fourth for the Knicks was Anthony getting called for his 11th technical of the season, jabbering after making a layup that put the Knicks up 87-81. Anthony is only four technicals away from a suspension.

“I don’t know even know what happened, to be honest with you,’’ Anthony said.

Anthony will have to control his emotions when LeBron James comes to town tomorrow. The Knicks trail Miami by six games.

“We’re going to have to take it to their level,’’ Felton said. “It’s a big game. If we win this game, it could mean a lot down the stretch, having the tiebreaker against them.’’

marc.berman@nypost.com