HOUSTON — Even without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, the Rockets have the better team and the better Landry.
The Knicks are no longer the team of the new decade. After surging to a 13-point lead late in the second quarter, looking on the verge of a 4-0 start to 2010, the Knicks disintegrated and lost,105-96, to the Rockets at Toyota Center.
Their first loss of the year had Mike D’Antoni screaming at the officials in the final minute and waving at them in disgust as he left the court with the Knicks’ three-game winning streak snapped.
The Rockets, who had lost three straight, played much harder than the Knicks (15-21) in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 27-17.
“We just didn’t quite have the intensity to beat these guys who needed this win bad,” D’Antoni said. “We scored enough, [but] our defense wasn’t quite as good as it should’ve been. They turned up the intensity on defense and got physical with us.”
David Lee uncharacteristically bolted the locker room without speaking to reporters. He finished with 26 points, but 20 of them came in the Knicks’ dominant first half. Plus, Lee had trouble containing Rockets forward Luis Scola (23 points).
Rockets standout Carl Landry faced his younger brother, Knicks reserve Marcus Landry, for the first time in the NBA. Marcus played 3:33 in the first half and didn’t score. Carl scored 14 points after a slow start, coming on late with three big inside buckets down the stretch, including a dunk after which he pointed at Marcus.
“I knew it was coming,” Marcus said. “He’s a fourth-quarter guy.”
Said Carl, “Yeah, it was like, you’re on the bench where you belong. Now stay there and watch me play.”
Cruel. As cruel as the Rockets (21-15) treated the Knicks, who scored just 39 points in the second half and dearly missed Al Harrington, who missed his second straight game with a calf strain.
“That’s not an excuse,” D’Antoni said. “We should’ve won this game.”
Jared Jeffries, often used on defense against the opposing point guard, had trouble guarding the Rockets’ small guards — with 5-foot-10 Aaron Brooks erupting for 20 points.
“It’s the same thing as Nate [Robinson],” Jeffries said. “It’s tough to keep Nate in front of you.”
Kyle Lowry also hurt the Knicks off the bench with 16 points. Late in the third quarter, he soared to tip in a shot over three Knicks, putting the Rockets up 76-73. Lowry hit the backbreaking bucket with 1:37 left, a fallaway 21-footer that made it 103-96 with 1:37 left.
It came apart early in the fourth as Robinson did his good-play, bad-play routine. He finished with 20 points and four turnovers (11 giveaways in the past two games). He drove and made a horrific pass that was intercepted by Chase Budinger, who rumbled in all alone for a breakaway slam to give the Rockets a 84-80 lead with 10:25 left. D’Antoni called timeout and Robinson explained himself to an angry coach. The momentum had turned for good.
* Tracy McGrady’s nameplate still hangs at his locker along with assorted clothing. But the Rockets swingman is in Chicago training as the Knicks and other teams bid for his services. The Knicks will be hard-pressed to make a trade because of Houston’s unwillingness to take on Jeffries’ contract. However, if the Rockets can’t find a deal, there is a chance McGrady could be bought out after February’s trading deadline, become a free agent and then be signed.
* Lottery pick Jordan Hill suffered another indignity when D’Antoni specified the undrafted Landry is ahead of him on the depth chart. The coaching staff adores Landry’s grit, and he has outworked Hill.
“[Landry] is working a little bit harder and deserves to play,” D’Antoni said. “After a certain point, it doesn’t matter where they were chosen.”
D’Antoni put off talk about sending Hill to the Knicks’ D-League affiliate in Springfield. “He’s better served staying with us right now,” D’Antoni said. “But that could change tomorrow.”
Harrington has fluid in his calf and told The Post team doctors are afraid he could tear the calf if he plays. Harrington said he’s “shooting” to return tomorrow in Oklahoma City, unless the fluid remains.