NBA

Carmelo breaks Knicks record with 62 points in rout of Bobcats

Carmelo Anthony arrived at the Garden more subdued than usual, more focused. Teammates were concerned. Nobody realized he was about to have the loudest, most historic night of his career and the most prolific game any Knick or the Garden ever had seen.

One game after it appeared his frustration level had hit a new low, Anthony made Friday a magical, memorable evening by scoring a franchise and Garden record 62 points, topping his idol Bernard King and Kobe Bryant, respectively.

Anthony’s greatness carried the 16-27 Knicks to a 125-96 romp over the Bobcats to snap a five-game losing streak as the Garden crowd went bonkers and chanted his name most of the second half.

“It still feels surreal to me — no better feeling than having that feeling tonight on this home court,’’ said Anthony, whose young son, Kiyan joined him in the giddy locker room. “The fans, I haven’t heard them like that since last year. It was good to get that feeling back.’’

Anthony acknowledges the fans at Madison Square Garden as he leaves the floor following his record-breaking performance.AP

It was a deluge of joy after a season of misery.

“We all needed it,’’ Anthony said. “I needed it. We needed it as a team as a moral and confidence booster.’’

Anthony, whose previous career high was 50 points, accomplished three times, racked up 20 after one quarter, 37 by halftime and carried 56 points into the fourth quarter.

The Garden crowd cheered each time he brought the ball upcourt in the third quarter, chanting “Me-lo,’’ wanting more, wanting history. And they got it. He did it with Knicks legend Patrick Ewing on the Charlotte bench and against Michael Jordan’s team.

“I’m sure he was watching it,’’ Anthony said of Jordan. “I made history tonight with the performance, but just to be a part of that group of people. Only a small group of people know what that zone feels like.’’

Ewing, whose career high was 51, did not like the fact Anthony lit up his team, but acknowledged it was a great performance.

Anthony hit 23 of 35 buckets — including six 3-pointers — and made all 10 of his free throws. His 62 points were complemented by 13 rebounds.

“He put on one of the great performances of our generation,’’ Tyson Chandler said. “I’m just glad now a Knick player holds that [arena] record.’’

Anthony scored the golden points on a beauty — spinning away from a double team on the low post and burying a running bank shot with 7:23 left. The Knicks called time out seconds later and, in a classy move, pulled him from the game with 7:18 left as the fans gave him a wild standing ovation — as did his giddy teammates.

The other Knicks took turns hugging him on the bench as he let loose with the biggest smile of this depressing season with free agency looming and his future murky.

“Teammates standing up with you, the laughter, seeing everyone smiling once again,’’ said Anthony, who had cursed out a heckling fan in the final minutes of the prior game against the 76ers. “That’s what I was more excited to see. Guys on the bench smiling high-fiving, having fun once again.’’

The Knicks franchise record for points was King’s 60, accomplished Christmas Day in 1984.

“If anyone was to break my Knicks record that I have held for so long, I’m absolutely delighted that it was Carmelo,” King said through a spokesman.

Bryant’s Garden record of 61 was set 2009. Coincidentally, the Lakers, who have some interest in Anthony as a free agent this summer with their cap space, visit the Garden on Sunday, but Bryant is injured.

“Coming into today’s game, for some reason I had a different type of focus,’’ Anthony said. “Guys had asked me what was wrong before the game. It was nothing wrong. Something in my head, I was locked in. Just a mindset tonight.

The fans chanted “We Want Melo’’ for several minutes as play carried on without him in the final minutes. This was the first game of the season without injured Andrea Bargnani and the Knicks played loose and free, having a great time.

Coach Mike Woodson, unaware of Bryant’s record, said he didn’t want to burn out Anthony and tried to send Iman Shumpert into the game early in the fourth quarter when Anthony had 60 points. Woodson said Shumpert wouldn’t go in.

“My teammates were telling me to go get it,’’ Anthony said. “I was going to sub myself out. They were like, ‘No way, you’re not going to go back to sit on the bench.’ Just for my teammates to be as enthused as everyone else, it put me over the top.”

“I didn’t come into the game thinking I’d score 62 points. I came in with the focus of winning the basketball game. I don’t like to accept losing.’’

With the Knicks (16-27) taking a 30-21 lead after the first, Anthony hit jumpers from all sectors, scoring 20 points on 8 of 10 shooting. Anthony capped his 37-point first half with what else — a buzzer-beating 41-foot halfcourt shot after getting the rebound and flashing upcourt. He got swarmed by teammates. and he didn’t even crack a smile. All business.

“When I made the shot at half, I told myself the zone was there,’’ Anthony said. “Only a couple of people know what that zone feels like.’’

Before the game, Woodson had played a homemade video of Muhammad Ali, showing Knicks highlights with a voice-over of Ali’s words of wisdom. Anthony has a couple of tattoos of Ali and admitted it was “inspirational.’’

Anthony was 15 of 21 by halftime and hit his first five shots of the third quarter. In the opening period, Anthony scored seven of his eight field goals on jumpers from at least 14 feet. He had one monster slam-dunk on a drive, bursting past Anthony Tolliver. All seven of Anthony’s field goals in the second quarter were from at least 16 feet. He broke his career high 50 on a fastbreak layup with 3:54 left in the third quarter.

Anthony played the game’s first 19 minutes, which is not the usual rotation. Anthony usually comes out after one quarter.

“He was shooting it so easy and making shots from all over the place,’’ Woodson said. “I looked at him. I have been in that position a few times the last two years with Melo when he has gotten on a roll and I was the one who cooled him. But this time I let him go.’’

He never stopped, getting congrats from Walt Frazier afterward, having shot himself into history and perhaps giving him another reason to call the Garden home for a long while.