NO DEFENSE FOR LOSS
NUGGETS PUT UP 131 ON HORNACEK’S CREW
Knicks owner James Dolan should next ban the team’s underachieving 15-man roster, which has yet to learn to play the kind of defense the Garden once was known for.
Coach Jeff Hornacek was as livid Friday as Charles Oakley was Wednesday night, saying the Knicks should be “embarrassed” after the pitiful Nuggets lit up the Garden in a 131-123 victory.
Hornacek entered the press room just a couple of minutes after the final buzzer, as visibly upset as at any juncture this season.
“They should be embarrassed the way we couldn’t guard anybody,’’ Hornacek said.
Amid chants for Oakley, the legendary power forward, who has been banned from the Garden after his ejection and arrest Wednesday night, the Knicks fell to 0-4 on one of the worst homestands in team history. The Nuggets shot 57 percent and incredibly the Knicks hit 56 percent of their shots in a loss.
Hornacek saved his bashes for the new starting unit he assembled. With Joakim Noah again out with a hamstring strain, the Knicks coach went small. The three-guard alignment featured Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings and Courtney Lee, and Hornacek shifted Kristaps Porzingis to center and Carmelo Anthony, who finished with 33 points, to power forward.
“It’s probably what our analytics told us,’’ Hornacek said. “They’re very good offensively and terrible at defense. They’ve been better offensively as a group than defensively, but tonight was just, they got zero stops. They must’ve shot 75 percent against them.’’
The Nuggets (24-29) even had the best second-year European on the floor — at least for the night. Serbian center Nikola Jokic hit a career-high 40 points, making 16 of 22 from the field, with eight rebounds. By contrast, Porzingis scored 17 points with four boards.
Hornacek went on to praise the second unit for following the defensive “plan.’’
“It was terrible,’’ Jennings said. “We gave up 130-something points. Jokic — I guess that’s his name — had like 40 points so it was really, really embarrassing.
The first “We Want Oakley’’ chant occurred with six minutes left in the first quarter — and that was only after the Knicks were booed at the first timeout after giving up 22 points in the first seven minutes.
“Knicks fans are very loyal,’’ Porzingis said. “We appreciate that. That’s why it’s so painful for us and frustrating not giving the fans what they want.’’
With Dolan sitting in his baseline seat, he heard about a halfdozen various chants in the first half, including “Free Charles Oakley” and just “Chaa-rles Oakley.”
“[The Nuggets] were able to get whatever they wanted,’’ said Anthony, who scored 21 of his points in the fourth quarter. “We all should be embarrassed the way we are playing. Nobody likes to lose. We have to do better.’’
There was also a faint “Fire Dolan’’ chant from the upper deck in the first half and another one at the final buzzer.
“I heard it but it did not affect me,’’ Anthony said. “What happened the other night [Oakley’s arrest] was an accumulation. It’s just a cloud over us right now. We have to figure out a way to get out of it.’’
Despite team president Phil Jackson’s tweet Thursday offering a peace sign, Anthony said he hadn’t spoken to his feuding partner Friday.
“Why don’t you talk to him and ask him about his tweet,’’ Anthony said angrily. “I don’t know what he [means].’’
The Oakley chants didn’t exactly spark the home team, which fell to a season-worst 11 games under .500 at 22-33, in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. They have lost 20 of their past 26 games.
Oakley’s manager, Akhtar Farzaie, when contacted Friday night by The Post, said of the chanting: “Charles put in work night in and night out. He played with all his heart and soul at the Garden, one of the many ways he showed he appreciates Knicks fans. We are humbled and greatly appreciate the continuous love and support by friends and Knicks fans.’’