DENVER — Carmelo Anthony hasn’t had a lot of fun — or success — on return trips to the Mile High City. He has yet to win in Denver since becoming a Knick.
The first season — the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season — the Knicks weren’t scheduled in Denver, but he has lost here in each of the past four seasons.
A rested Anthony aims finally to snare one at his former workplace, the Pepsi Center, Saturday when the Knicks attempt to conclude their five-game western trip with a winning record.
Anthony increased the club’s odds of victory by sacrificing the showdown with the Warriors on Thursday, resting his bruised right shoulder to be in better condition to take on the altitude and spirited legs of the young Nuggets. Denver still boasts two players from 2011’s blockbuster deal of Anthony: Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler.
“It’s a big game for us — a must-win,’’ Anthony said after returning to practice Thursday at Pepsi Center. “I know it’s early, but it’s a must-win mentality. We started off the road trip pretty good, had an opportunity to win in Phoenix — one we let slip away. [Thursday] — it was what it was. [Saturday] we have the opportunity to turn this into a good trip for us.”
Indeed, Anthony and Derrick Rose (back spasms) may both return in a game that could give the Knicks a 3-2 record on their season’s longest road trip. Both players missed the rout by the Warriors because the Knicks really had no shot against the team with the NBA’s best record.
After winning the first two games of the trip in Sacramento and Los Angeles, the Knicks dropped the next two, including the overtime heartbreaker in Phoenix.
“A great road trip would’ve been 4-1,’’ coach Jeff Hornacek said. “We can’t get that now, [but] 3-2 would be pretty decent. The bigger issue is you don’t ever want to lose 3 in a row. You have to stop losing streaks to climb the ladder.’’
Anthony injured his right shoulder in Los Angeles, diving for a loose ball in the first quarter, banging it against the court. He shot poorly at Staples Center (4-for-16) and worse in Phoenix (3-of-15), leading him to decide after Thursday’s shootaround in San Francisco he needed a day of rest.
“I’ll play [Saturday],’’ said Anthony, who played in the Knicks’ first 25 games. “I got in some good work in today. Felt all right. I felt better than it did [Thursday] and the day before. That’s a good thing — keep maintaining it.”
A lot of ice and stimulation has him ready for Denver, where his stint lasted almost eight seasons — with the Nuggets making the playoffs in each one. Neither franchise can boast about flourishing since the trade.
“It’s still a special place for me,’’ Anthony said. “I want to win regardless but it still holds a special place.’’
In general, the Knicks haven’t handled the altitude well, failing to win in Denver since 2006, as the Nuggets carry an eight-game home winning streak against them.
“Nobody gets used to [the altitude],’’ Anthony said. “That was seven years ago. It takes a while — even when you play here. You go on a road trip and come back, takes a couple of days to get those practices in. Today was good to get used to what it’s going to be like [Saturday].”
Rose, who is listed as questionable, is more worried about his back than the thin air. He has missed three of the past five games with back spasms and the final three quarters of a fourth contest. If Anthony and Rose both play, it would be only the second time on the trip they have played a full game with Kristaps Porzingis.
In the non-contact scrimmage, Hornacek thought Rose looked, “a little stiff.”
“I looked all right. I felt good,’’ Rose said. “I also have to be smart about it. Hopefully I’ll be able to play [Saturday]. I’ll see how my body reacts to today’s workout and figure it out in the morning.’’