This time the Nets really are out of the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes. He’s a Knick and the Nets are left to try to make moves that don’t hurt their future salary cap flexibility, but also help them on the court now and next year.

Devin Harris and Troy Murphy are the Nets most likely to pack their bags – although something tells me their suitcases are packed and by their doors as they just await a call.

They know they’re going, and the Nets aren’t getting anyone back as exciting as Anthony, a potential franchise changer. He was the only player available of that ilk on the trade market and the Nets did everything – literally, everything – they could to get him.

General manager Billy King put together countless trade proposals to appease Denver

The pomp and circumstance of All-Star Weekend is over, but the pomp and circumstance of the Carmelo Anthony trade proceedings aren’t yet.

Blake Griffin’s over-the-car-dunk was an eye opener, but your eyebrows should be near the top of your forehead when you think about all that has happened with the Melo-Drama. We’re not just talking about the last five-plus months, but just the last five days.

More was added today as ESPN reported the Nets are talking to the Nuggets about sending two draft picks to Denver for Timofey Mozgov and Danilo Gallinari if the Knicks acquire Anthony.

The Nets are trying to force the Knicks to give up more than they want and ultimately back out. It might be the Nets’ best chance at getting Anthony because to this point the Knicks haven’t

After all that has happened with murals and billboards, television commercials and pointed comments, it is fitting that it comes down to the Nets and the Knicks for Carmelo Anthony.

As I heard Evan Roberts say on WFAN this morning, it’s Jay-Z and JD (James Dolan). It’s more than that, though.

It’s Mikhail Prokhorov, Jay-Z, Billy King and Brett Yormark versus Dolan. (Advantage Nets)

It’s Newark/Brooklyn versus New York City (Advantage Knicks)

It’s Brook Lopez versus Amar’e Stoudemire (Advantage Knicks)

It’s a more controlled offense and a commitment to defense versus a free-wheeling, fast-paced, score-at-will offense and defend every few possessions. (Advantage Knicks)

When you lay it out like that, it seems the Knicks will win the Anthony

BOSTON – The Nets didn’t want to go into the All-Star break the way they did, but you could have seen this coming all the way around.

We’re not just talking about the Nets’ 94-80 loss to the Celtics last night. But that the Nets and the Nuggets have had a recent conversation about Carmelo Anthony.

Suddenly, Nets’ fans are hopeful again. Hopeful the Nets can get something done for Anthony, without using Derrick Favors or Devin Harris or draft picks. That’s not realistic, but that’s also going too far too soon.

At this point, these talks could just be exploratory, could be Denver reaching out to see if the Nets are still interested in Anthony after owner Mikhail Prokhorov removed them the talks last month. Of course, the Nets are interested still.

The Nets are finishing the first half in fitting fashion. After closing out their home schedule against the best team in the Western Conference and the NBA, they play the best team in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday.

It’s a fitting conclusion. Nothing ever comes easy for the Nets. Not games, not trade talks, not drafting, not the development of their players.

Never mind their history. Just look at how things have gone since the end of last season, when things were supposed to change for this group, through Monday night’s loss to the Spurs.

The Nets didn’t win the lottery despite losing 70 games. They didn’t get any of their free agent targets. They made a big trade to get Troy Murphy, who's been a big bust. Brook Lopez hasn’t become the player everyone

Mikhail Prokhorov is not walking through the Prudential Center doors to make another bold announcement, so the Nets will just have to find it from within to come out and play hard from the opening tip.

It’s amazing that a team with 15 wins doesn’t play with energy all the time, especially at the start of games. There is no reason and no excuse for not being ready to play.

Nets coach Avery Johnson will be around much longer than most of the players, so it doesn't help their standing with the team to start sluggishly. You can say that many of them were almost traded anyway, which is true, but you still have to be professional. You are recognized for your play.

Devin Harris remarked that maybe guys have to change up their routines or work out differently before the game.

There were plenty of interesting -- to use Carmelo Anthony’s words -- sights last night when the Nets scored a 16-point victory over the Nuggets.

Far and away, the two best were the Barclays Center poster boards laid out in the hallway on the way to the locker rooms, and the dining room scene where Nets executives and Nuggets executives were a couple of tables apart and facing each other. The difference was that Nets general manager Billy King and assistant GM Bobby Marks looked comfortable, and Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke and GM Masai Ujiri didn't.

But it drew a good laugh from here because of all that has gone on and been written and said about the trade talks and negotiations, and ultimately because of Mikhail Prokhorov pulling the Nets back from the trade talks.

The Barclays

Carmelo Anthony came, saw placards of what the new arena in Brooklyn will look like, and the Nets conquered.

This was easily their most significant win of the season and how they beat Anthony and the Nuggets, 115-99 last night at the Rock, made it even more significant.

Brook Lopez, the only untouchable, had a strong game with 27 points. But it was everyone else, many of them involved or affected by the Anthony talks, that showed tremendous pride and desire and put forth some of the better efforts of the season.

It started with Devin Harris. The Nets’ captain was nearly traded to Denver twice and it definitely had an impact on him. After Mikhail Prokhorov said the Nets were out of trade talks for Anthony and cancelled a meeting with the Nuggets star, Harris’ game and focus

All eyes will be on Carmelo Anthony on Monday night and many ears will be listening to what he says pregame and to hear what kind of reaction he gets from the Prudential Center crowd.

Anthony never came out and said he didn’t want to play for the Nets, only the Knicks. But that seems to be the belief because of things that have been written and said throughout this long, drawn-out process that many think officially came to an end when Nets principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov instructed management to back out of talks for Anthony.

Believe what you want about whether the Nets are in or out. My feeling is they’re out until Denver brings them back in – with Prokhorov’s approval, of course.

There remains the chance that Anthony will re-sign with the Nuggets. They have