Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points, 12 in the third quarter when the game turned into a rout, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Knicks 108-96 last night.

Andre Miller added 16 points and former Knicks center Marcus Camby had 10 points and 18 rebounds for the Nuggets, who pulled away in the second half and improved to 3-1 on their season-high seven-game road trip.

Stephon Marbury scored 25 points for the Knicks, who have lost two straight and have the NBA’s worst record. Channing Frye added 16.

Before the game, Knicks coach Larry Brown responded to Marbury’s recent remarks that he needed to change his game and play more offensively. Brown said the Knicks wouldn’t win until they played better defense and took better care of the ball – and he sure looked right last night.

Denver shot 51% from the floor and forced the Knicks into 16 turnovers.

Anthony hit consecutive jumpers to cap a 10-2 surge that extended Denver’s lead to 80-66 with 3:22 left in the third, then he took a seat on the bench shortly after for the remainder of the period. Denver led by 15 at the end of the quarter.

Anthony re-entered early in the fourth after the Knicks scored six straight points to get within 14, and he promptly scored on a dunk and a jumper as the Nuggets pushed the lead to 95-77 to put away the game.

About the only thing the annoyed Madison Square Garden crowd had to cheer was a rare appearance by rookie Nate Robinson, popular with the fans but not with Brown. He had been inactive for the last eight games and played only once since winning the slam dunk contest at All-Star weekend last month, but entered last night to a loud ovation late in the third quarter.

The 5-foot-9-inch Robinson hit a 3-pointer seconds after getting on the court and even enjoyed a rare height advantage while playing 5-foot-5-inch Earl Boykins.

Jerome James, starting for the ailing Eddy Curry, scored 11 of his seasonhigh 13 points in the first four minutes as the Knicks opened a six-point lead. New York led by seven in the quarter, but the Nuggets shot 55% in the period and scored the final eight points to take a 29-28 lead.

With James starting for Curry, who was out with a stomach virus, the Knicks used their league-high 36th different starting lineup.

The Nuggets led by as much as 12 in the half before taking a 61-56 lead into the break. Marbury had 17 points and Anthony had 15 at halftime.

Denver played the second half without Kenyon Martin, who has been troubled by knee and leg problems for much of the season and recently missed four games. He appeared to be near tears while holding his left leg during a first-half timeout.

Knicks guard Quentin Richardson played the second half with his left thumb taped. He sprained the thumb while having a shot blocked in the first half and X-rays were negative.