By MARC BERMAN

WASHINGTON – This one was so over, I was ready to hit the send button on my Knicks’ winning game story and three-game winning streak.

I should have known better. I’ve seen a lot of Knick chokes in covering seven straight losing seasons, but this one had its own aura of disgracefulness.

Here they were, on the verge of three straight wins, with a winnable game vs. Philly on tap tomorrow night, and they give an inauguration gift to the hapless Wizards, who never imagined they could win this game.

The Knicks coughed up a six-point lead in the final 2:37, allowed Washington to score 15 straight points, the lead going from 87-81 to 96-87.

“I just felt like somebody hit me in the stomach,” said Mike D’Antoni.

Afte dominating the second half, the Knicks suddenly couldn’t grab a defensive rebound. They couldn’t make a shot. They didn’t guard Mike James at the 3-point line (that’s all he does). They fell apart with such suddeness to an awful team, it truly was alarming. D’Antoni didn’t bother to call a timeout until it was too late, down 1.

It’s all in the game story, the Knicks shooting 37 percent and scoring 39 points less than Wednesday’s total.

In a symbolic event of hope, rookie Danilo Gallinari, the Italian Stallion, dressed. D’Antoni didn’t play him but probably will tomorrow night vs. Philly. Have a feeling the only thing that will be left for February, March and April is watching the Stallion’s development.