Denver ? Carmelo Anthony was hammered by J.R. Smith during a spirited 5-on-5 scrimmage at practice on Thursday. When he stepped to the line, his Denver Nuggets teammates began booing and jeering and scoffing the All-Star forward — just like the home crowd has been doing lately.

“You’re a bum, Carmelo!” Smith taunted as Anthony laughed and calmly swished all three free throws.

Anthony was booed during a postgame TV interview at the Pepsi Center Wednesday night following his 35-point performance in Denver’s 112-107 victory over Oklahoma City, which came hours after the New York Nets ended trade talks for the Nuggets star.

That’s not a wise move by the frustrated fans, suggested Kobe Bryant, whose Los Angeles Lakers visit the Nuggets on Friday night. He suggested that if Anthony were at all torn about leaving Denver or staying put, the catcalls might just push him over the edge and on his way.

Bryant said he’s only been booed at home once in his 15 years with the Lakers and that was in the 2007-08 opener after saying during that offseason that he wanted to be traded. He said the fans came around when they saw him playing hard.

Anthony’s been playing hard, too, but the drama has been playing out since last summer, when Anthony declined to sign a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nuggets.

Bryant played with Anthony at the 2008 Olympics.

“It has nothing to do with a bigger market,” Bryant said. “It’s about winning. If you want to keep a player here, make the right decisions, make the right choices, personnel. Get a team around a guy that will help you win and there will be no problems.”