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KP, Knicks blow 23-point lead in epic collapse vs. Lebron & Co.
The Knicks staged an epic fourth-quarter collapse Monday but give them some credit. The Knicks were chirping afterward — with Enes Kanter even poking fun at LeBron James’ nickname.
The Knicks were on the verge of their season’s greatest triumph, beating the Cavaliers and James to a pulp for three quarters in what appeared destined to be a stirring, wewon’t-back-down performance.
Instead, on a night he was booed relentlessly for his dig at rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina, James grabbed back the night and led the Cavaliers to an epic 104-101 comeback victory, leading a 43-25 fourth-quarter surge, before a heartbroken Garden crowd.
With an off-kilter Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks suffered the massive collapse in losing all of a 23-point lead as James sank the dagger — a step-back, tiebreaking 3-pointer over Porzingis — with 1:23 left. It was the Cavaliers’ first lead since the first quarter.
The glitter of Ntilikina standing up to James during a late first-quarter skirmish and Enes Kanter stepping in to defend him got lost in the shuffle of the fourth quarter as James finished flexing his muscles — literally — and going for 23 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds.
“We can’t keep having games like this,’’ said Courtney Lee. “We’re going to give fans — I know my mother is going to have a heart attack. We let it slip away. For us to get up 20 on this team it speaks volumes for how far we’ve come, but still got to go a little ways. The energy in the building was there. Was a playoff atmosphere.”
The Knicks lost the war, but won a small battle. The Knicks were still talking tough in the locker room afterward about the James-Ntilikina-Kanter triangle. The Knicks went on a 53-30 run after the skirmish.
Kanter went as far as purposely mistaking James’ longstanding moniker.
“I don’t care who you are. What do you call yourself ? King, Queen, Princess. Whatever you are. We’re gonna fight,” said Kanter, who had stuck up for Ntilikina on Twitter before the game. “Nobody out there is going to punk us.”
The Knicks, who fell to 7-6, got punked in the final period. Trailing by 15 points entering the fourth, James finally showed up as playmaker extraordinaire and Kyle Korver scored 19 fourthquarter points to finish with 21, draining 3s from all corners.
“Look at the film of the last quarter, so many things to learn from that,’’ Porzingis said. “I think what separated them from us was their experience. We don’t have that. It’s a tough one. We really wanted to win the game.’’
Porzingis had early foul trouble and finished with just 20 points, missing two key free throws with the Knicks still up 3 with 2:27 left. He admitted he gave James “too much room’’ on the 3-point dagger as it looked clear the King was going to launch.
On one of his conventional three-point plays, James took a hip check from Jarrett Jack on a drive and sank a runner after which he flexed his right bicep.
“It’s never another game at the Garden,’’ James said. “Best basketball arena in the world. Being an opposing guy being able to perform on the stage is always a treat.’’
Behind Ntilikina’s six steals — the first Knicks rookie to achieve that since Mark Jackson in 1987 — the Knicks built a 23-point lead in the third period. The Garden was in a frenzy before it all came apart at the seams.
It even seemed as if Cavs coach Tyronn Lue had waved the white flag when he removed all five of his starters during a timeout down 17 with 4:30 left in the third.
“It’s hard to turn the water off,’’ Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said.
In taking a 51-38 halftime bulge, the Knicks and Ntilikina played inspired defense, inspired by the remarks James made Saturday night in Dallas.
James claimed the Knicks blew it by taking Ntilikina over Dennis Smith Jr. in last spring’s draft. The French rookie notched five of
his steals in the first half and one shove of James, who was booed during pregame introductions and every time he touched the ball.
But the place didn’t get into a complete frenzy until Kanter stuck up for Ntilikina late in the first quarter, getting in James’ craw, igniting an altercation.
It began following a James dunk after which Ntilikina went to gather the ball to inbound. James stood in his way and Ntilikina pushed him. As James looked to get back at Ntilikina, Kanter came rushing in and started jabbering in James’ face and the two players exchanged shoves.
“I just wanted to get the ball,’’ Ntilikina said. “I felt he was in my way. It could’ve been anyone.’’ Sure. “We’re trying to build an identity here,’’ said Tim Hardaway Jr., who scored 28 points. “It was great to see that — Frank not taking anything from anyone. He is not soft.’’ James indeed had the last word, but the Knicks locker room afterward still was buzzing. “He stood up for himself and didn’t back down,’’ Porzin
gis said. marc.berman @nypost .com