But the long-sought passionate display after a players-only meeting the day before, including a 16-point lead in the first half, wasn’t enough to overcome Carmelo Anthony’s 37-point demolition in a sort-of homecoming for the Baltimore native.

Anthony had a literal and physical answer for the Wizards’ best outing of the season so far, getting separation from Trevor Booker for the game-winning 3-pointer by giving the second-year forward a face-full of his elbow. Booker said he couldn’t think straight enough to call a defensive switch, but he was clear on his review of the his team’s performance.

“I definitely think we got better,” Booker said. “We actually hit them first, instead of them hitting us first. And usually the other team hits us first. So that’s a step.”

The Wizards (0-7) botched a pair of chances to win or tie. Getting the ball down 98-96 with 15.5 seconds left, John Wall (22 points, nine assists) missed a 3-point attempt – only his second of the season and certainly not a shot the Wizards would have preferred him taking. Rookie Chris Singleton came down with the ball off the glass but missed everything with a fadeaway jumper instead of recognizing the Wizards still had time on the clock and a timeout.

“[Andray Blatche] actually had a shot that he turned down, a good look,” Saunders said. “We got the ball in John’s hands and he had been making plays for us down the stretch. We turned down a shot and got a worse shot.”

After a free throw by Iman Shumpert (10 points), Nick Young (24 points) launched another errant three at the buzzer with four Knicks defenders draped all over him.

But simply being in the game was an achievement after the Wizards squandered their stellar start during a third quarter that resembled how they’ve played recently in the opening period.

Saunders waited nearly seven minutes into the period before replacing starters who had allowed a 47-46 halftime lead to turn into a 64-57 deficit, one that increased to 66-57 when Anthony hit a fadeaway over Singleton and drawing a foul, strutting and smiling to the crowd.

“I feel he knew I was a rookie, so he came at me,” said Singleton, who’d lit a fire under Anthony in the first half with his defense. “I kind of expect it from everybody. You go at the rookie, go at the weak link, supposedly. I just tried to hold my own.”

Singleton’s 12 points, seven rebounds, three steals, two blocks buoyed his case, as did eight points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks from Booker, as the pair of youngsters both made strong cases for more minutes from a coach who’d pondered but declined to make changes to his starting lineup.

Saunders’ first group couldn’t have started much better, with Wall, Young, Blatche (15 points, six rebounds, three steals, two blocks), JaVale McGee (13 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks), and Rashard Lewis all scoring before the game’s first timeout. The Wizards finished the period with a 32-18 lead and their best offensive quarter of the year.

“I think after watching that film session and having that team meeting, that’s something that brought more effort and brought us closer together,” Blatche said.

Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire (23 points, 12 rebounds) worked over Blatche, Booker, Singleton and McGee, getting them all into foul trouble while combining for 24 of New York’s 28 points in the second quarter to bring New York back into the contest.

Singleton hit a pair of 3-pointers to cut the Knicks’ lead down to 72-69 at the end of the third quarter, and Booker’s pair of putbacks reclaimed the lead early in the fourth.

The Knicks (3-4) got only cursory offensive contributions from everyone but Anthony and Stoudemire though Josh Harrellson was credited for a basket despite appearing to interfere with a ball in the cylinder.

“When things are going bad, you can’t get a call,” Saunders said. “That offensive goal tending was a terrible call that they missed.”

The Knicks also missed Wall repeatedly down the stretch as he sprinted by them the length of the court to try and break down New York’s transition defense, even if it came at the expense of his teammates.

But the Wizards weren’t prepared to let the loss get them down. With as far as they’ve fallen this season, the only place to go was up.

“This is our best game, besides the [second] Boston game,” Singleton said. “Everybody played hard. We played as a team. I mean I feel we had fun tonight. That’s one thing you haven’t seen from us.”

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