NBA

Carmelo: No point in shoulder exam, because I won’t sit out

TORONTO – Carmelo Anthony said it’s been “a hard week’’ rehabbing and watching Atlanta win two of three games to move to the verge of knocking the Knicks out of the playoffs. The tragic number for elimination is two and could come Friday night with a Knicks loss to the Raptors and a Hawks win in Brooklyn.

But Anthony, who will play Friday night with a strained right shoulder, isn’t giving up hope.

“I believe until they tell me we’re out of it,’’ Anthony said at the morning shootaround at Air Canada Centre.

To qualify for the postseason, the Knicks have to go 4-0 while the Hawks stumble to 1-3.

“It’s been a hard week knowing what they’re doing, watching [the Hawks] and knowing our situation,’’ Anthony said. “It’s been a hard week. It’s a big challenge.  We got to give it all at this point. No time for any mistakes or slippage.’’

Anthony hadn’t talked since after Sunday’s loss to the Heat in which he scored 13 points and didn’t take a shot in the fourth quarter. If his shoulder is better from the four days off, he’ll only know once the game begins. He admitted he felt good before tip-off against Miami.

“Before games it always feels the same,’’ Anthony said. “It isn’t until you start the games and are banging around. That’s when it starts acting up.’’

Anthony, coming off his worst two games of the season, said he may have more tests after the season, but said it’s not the same type of injury he sustained last season when he had a partial tear of his rotator cuff and labrum in his left shoulder. Anthony said Joe Johnson of the Nets injured the shoulder, tugging at it in their battle 10 days ago.

“Last year I tore my shoulder and labrum and rotator,” he said. “This year it’s not the same. The pain is different. It’s more uncomfortable, trying to keep it warm throughout the game.’’

Anthony admits he could sit out once the Knicks are  eliminated.

“What is the test going to do at this point?’’ Anthony said. “If they say it’s really bad, I’m still not going to sit out. I’d rather to wait until it’s all over.’’

He could miss the playoffs for the first time in his 11-year career.

“It is what it is,’’ Anthony said. “We have to win all four games, and it’s not a given if we win all four games we get in, but we have to do our part.’’