NBA

Knicks lose to Nuggets, losing streak at six

All sides of the enigmatic Carmelo Anthony were on display last night — the good, the bad, the brilliant and the ugly. Mostly ugly.

Melo’s late fourth-quarter heroics become a moot point and led to a sixth straight Knicks loss in a double-overtime thriller to the Nuggets, 119-114, at the Garden. Anthony heard his first boos as a Knick from the Garden crowd. The honeymoon is over.

Anthony was outplayed by ex-Knick Danilo Gallinari, who was involved in the historic trade last February. In his first return, the Italian Stallion scored a career-high 37 points, making 9 of 19 shots and 18 of 20 free throws. Even center Timofey Mozgov, also in the deal, had a more efficient night than Anthony, scoring 16 points with seven rebounds.

Anthony looked to have stage fright in seeing his old powder-blue uniforms of the Nuggets and finished the night shooting 10-of-30 for 25 points with six turnovers and four offensive fouls.

After the game, he was in a reflective mood. Anthony, in a seven-game shooting slump, said he would take the blame for the losing streak, is considering taking fewer shots and is reevaluating his decision to play hurt. He said wasn’t bothered by the boos and sat by his locker in his uniform for several minutes before undressing.

“I’m getting booed for not making shots,’’ said Anthony. “I’m not too concerned with that. The expectations are still high. I’m not regretting the trade. If you want to boo me for missing shots, boo me. I’m not worried about that.’’

Amar’e Stoudemire stood and watched most of the second half and the two overtimes. He finished with 12 points after scoring the Knicks’ first six points of the night. He took just three shots in the second half and overtime, saying afterward: “We have to move the ball.’’

Playing with a sore wrist the past week, Anthony has shot 56-of-158 (35.4 percent) the past seven contests, so the slide started before the ankle/wrist injuries developed. Anthony said he would sit down with the training staff to see if it’s best to rest a game or two.

“Maybe it is time to reevaluate everything, reevaluate my body, sit with the trainers, see what is going on,’’ Anthony said. “I am hard-headed at times.’’

It’s probably not the best time to rest with an upcoming four-game road trip on tap and key reserve rookie big man Josh Harrellson fracturing his left wrist last night. Harrellso will be out six weeks. When it rains it pours.

Embattled coach Mike D’Antoni said last night’s loss was “a positive step’’ because the offense quickened and flowed much of the night, but added it “seems like we have a gorilla on our back and can’t get it off.’’

After Anthony’s late fourth-quarter brilliance sent the game into overtime, the superstar couldn’t carry the club home and a couple of weak “Fire D’Antoni’’ and “Phil Jackson’’ chants could be heard at the end.

Before the game, D’Antoni was asked about his job performance in light of the fan outrage.

“They’re right,’’ D’Antoni said of fans calling for his head. “Every coach understands you can’t come out and play bad and then say, ‘Oh, I’m doing my job.’ I got to change things up and get better. It’s my responsibility at the end of it.’’

Knicks owner James Dolan did not attend the showdown with Denver, perhaps sensing a bad outcome. D’Antoni seemed upbeat after the game as the fan derision was more directed at Anthony than himself.

“There is a bunch of stuff that goes through my mind, what am I not doing?” Anthony said. “Should I pass it more? I am sitting here thinking maybe I should take the blame for the game we are losing, our offensive struggles.’’

In the final minute of the second overtime, Anthony missed on a runner and ex-Knick Al Harrington (24 points) drilled the 3-point dagger to put the Nuggets up four with 37.8 seconds left. At the end of the first overtime, Anthony lost control of the ball out of bounds with .3 seconds left. The Knicks fell to 6-10 and the Nuggets moved to 12-5 — two teams going in different directions.

Anthony was shooting 3-of-19 with four turnovers entering the final few minutes of regulation. Anthony scored four buckets in the final two minutes of the fourth, including a tough jumper over a double team to force the first overtime with 1.7 seconds left in regulation. But this turned out not to be the night for him to be the hero.