DENVER - Forty years ago today, the 1969-70 Knicks won their then NBA record 18th straight game to move their record to 23-1.

The only streak the current-era Knicks do now are moral victories. And they posted a doozy last night in going toe-to-toe with the powerhouse Nuggets to the final buzzer in a Wild West shootout, losing 128-125 amid a controversial ending.

Though Al Harrington had a monster night with 41 points in 38 minutes, the Knicks were unable to withstand Carmelo Anthony's barrage. Anthony, a free agent in 2011 when the Knicks could still have cap space, struck for a career-high 50 points.

The Knicks fell to 3-13, losing their fourth straight and concluding their Western swing 0-3.

It appeared Anthony had iced the game with two free throws with 17 seconds left to give him 50 and put the Nuggets up four. But the Knicks kept coming. Harrington scored on a finger roll before J.R. Smith hit one of two free throws, putting the Knicks down three with 4.4 seconds left.

Inbounding from the backcourt, Larry Hughes finally got it deep on the right wing and had it stripped by Chauncey Billups as he went to launch a 3-pointer. However, Hughes claimed the referee raised his hand to signal for a foul. After much confusion, the referees reviewed the play and instead ruled Hughes was out of bounds.

The Knicks' coaching staff was hot afterward and Hughes mystified. "I got fouled," Hughes said. "I saw the ref blow the whistle and raise his hand. I figured it was a foul. I thought they were reviewing whether it was a 2-pointer or 3-pointer. Then they said it was no foul."

Their defense fall to pieces after coach Mike D'Antoni, ironically, lectured writers on their recent defensive improvement statistically. They allowed Denver to shoot 53.6 percent, but give them this: They fought like heck.

"It couldn't came at a better time," said Anthony, who was 17-of-28 from the field and 15-of-16 from the free throw line. "We only won by three. They wouldn't go away."

Harrington went mano-a-mano with Anthony. "He's got the whole package," Harrington said. "I thought I did a pretty good job. If I didn't, he would've gotten 70."

At the least, the Knicks weren't blown away as they were in the first two games on the Western trip when they shot 38 percent in each game.

"We played really well. We really competed," D'Antoni said.