NBA

Knicks get revenge on D’Antoni, but Anthony sprains ankle

UP & DOWN: Camelo Anthony got off to a soaring start, torching Jodie Meeks and the Lakers for 22 first-quarter points on his way to 30 points in less than 23 minutes. (NBAE/Getty Images)

Carmelo Anthony was bent on wrecking Mike D’Antoni’s Garden return, even if he had to wreck his own ankle to do it.

Anthony brutalized the pathetic Lakers’ defense for 30 points in just 22 minutes, 55 seconds of action. His brilliant night was cut short when he sustained a sprained left ankle midway through the third quarter after landing badly on a hard foul by Lakers center Dwight Howard.

The injury put a partial damper on what would have been an otherwise perfect night in putting the purple and gold further in tatters. Without Anthony, the Lakers and Kobe Bryant (31 points) rallied to within six in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell, 116-107, as the Knicks moved to 9-0 at home and an Eastern Conference-best 17-5.

Anthony, who was not on crutches, said he’s unsure if he will be available for tomorrow night’s home game against Cleveland, but certainly it seems he would want to be back Monday for the return of Linsanity and the Rockets.

“I don’t think it’s anything serious,’’ Knicks GM Glen Grunwald said.

“I just took a hard fall,’’ Anthony said. “It was one of them awkward falls. My ankle is a little sore. [But I’m] real sore right now, ankle, knee hip. I couldn’t catch my fall’’

Anthony scored 22 points in the first quarter and finished 10 of 15 from the field against the former coach who wanted to limit him in the Knicks offense last March. It came on the heels of his 45-point Brooklyn blowout.

“He was incredible,’’ Mike Woodson said. “He played 22 minutes and had 30 points. I say that is incredible.’’

“I was zoned in, I was locked in,’’ Anthony said. “Tonight was one of those games I had that feeling. My teammates were feeding off that.’’

Anthony did not return after leaving with 6:41 left in the third, but he had made his statement to D’Antoni and the Lakers, who fell to 9-14. The Knicks’ statement was they are very serious about heading to The Finals, even if L.A. isn’t there to join them.

“I wanted to beat them,’’ Anthony said. “I wanted to beat the Lakers especially protecting our home court. It had nothing to do with Mike. We are rolling, playing good basketball right now. Everybody seems to be having fun out there.’’

With 6:54 left in the third, Anthony took a hard foul from Howard after driving by Devin Ebanks and slammed to the floor, on his back, his left leg twisting under him like a pretzel.

He stayed down for more than a minute as fans chanted “MVP.” He got up, limping, and still took his two free throws. After the next possession, he came out and headed to the locker room — the best thing to happen to D’Antoni in two weeks.

“I don’t think it would’ve been close if Melo is in the game,’’ Tyson Chandler said. “He was exploding. For sure, he would’ve gotten 40 and after that, no telling.’’

D’Antoni was booed loudly during pregame introductions because of his disappointing Knicks stint and he fell to 4-9 with the reeling Lakers.

“Boos are boos and I didn’t expect anything different,’’ D’Antoni said.

“Carmelo was unbelievable in the first quarter,’’ D’Antoni added. “We had trouble in the first half with the pick-and-rolls and Melo.’’

Like old times, D’Antoni’s team allowed 41 points in the first quarter at the Garden. Anthony’s 22 fell two points short of the Knicks record for most points for a player in a quarter (Allan Houston, Willis Reed still have it). He shot 8 of 9, made all three of his 3-point shots. The Knicks shot 61 percent by intermission. Midway through the second quarter, they were at 73 percent, making 22 of their first 30 baskets.

Anthony began the night bagging three straight 3-pointers in three minutes, including a fast-break pull-up from 26 feet. Anthony mixed it up with a couple of mid-range jumpers, getting free from Metta World Peace on a solid pick from Jason Kidd. He then burst past World Peace on a drive while ex-Knicks first-rounder Jordan Hill watched from the paint as Anthony soared by him for a vicious two-handed stuff.

“Nothing was forced tonight, even the play he got hit,’’ Kidd said. “When he made the dunk, that’s when I knew he was here. From that point on, it was get out of the way.’’

marc.berman@nypost.com