The Knicks are expected to debut Elfrid Payton as their new starting point guard Friday at Barclays Center, and he will be up against the one who got away — Kyrie Irving.
After the failed experiment of RJ Barrett as starting point guard alongside Allonzo Trier in a respectable 120-111 season-opening loss in San Antonio, Knicks coach David Fizdale probably won’t try to reinvent the wheel this time.
Payton, one of the seven signees this summer after the Knicks failed at landing a free-agent star such as Irving, checked all the boxes at the AT&T Center Wednesday. The 25-year-old appeared to resoundingly win the job. He notched 11 points, eight assists, no turnovers, five steals and was a plus-14 in the nine-point loss.
Fizdale said after Thursday’s practice he won’t officially name his starting point guard until Friday, but coyly added, “Yeah, he’s a good candidate.’’
Wednesday, Irving exploded for 50 points in his Nets debut but lost to the Timberwolves in overtime.
“I definitely want to hold him under 50,’’ Payton said jokingly. “But if they lose and he has 50, I’ll take it. It’s definitely a challenge. Something I’m excited to take on. But it’s going to be a team effort. Not one person can stop a player like that. I think we’ll be locked in.”
The Louisiana-Lafayette product juiced the Knicks when he entered in the second quarter as the third point-guard choice after Barrett and Dennis Smith Jr. Barrett wound up having a wonderful 21-point career debut, but didn’t look comfortable manning the point in the first six minutes and the Knicks got into a 10-2 hole.
Fizdale was wise enough to trash the Barrett experiment and start Payton in the second half. Payton’s defense was stellar, he got into the paint and revved up the pace. Knicks general manager Scott Perry, who drafted Payton in 2014 when in Orlando, had to be proud of his offseason signee.
“Great intensity to the game,’’ Fizdale said. “He really changed the game for us with his level of competitiveness on the ball, the pace that he pushed the ball at. He really turned the game for us.’’
“We lost,’’ Payton said. “That’s the most important stat. I’m trying to do whatever it takes to win.”
Addressing the team missing out on Irving for the first time, Fizdale said nothing is ever a given. The Post reported last June the Knicks were more interested in Irving in a tandem with Kevin Durant rather than as a solo act. Irving never gave the Knicks a look, even though he had talked about them being high on his list on multiple occasions.
“I don’t get my hopes up,’’ Fizdale said. “I stay in the moment with that stuff, whether it was the draft or whether it was free agency. Things change and fluctuate. People change their mind and ideas and thoughts. So I just try to stay in the moment and when the time comes we get who we get and I coach those guys.’’
In a possible dig at the Knicks, the Nets will give away 10,000 Irving jerseys Friday.
“There’s only one that can give us 50, though,’’ Fizdale said, jokingly.
“I would hope that we can limit him and make it tougher on him,’’ Fizdale said. “But he’s a great player. It does not surprise me that he puts up big numbers. They have a lot of spacing out there. They’ve got a lot of weapons. It’s not easy just to key on him. They’ve got other capable guys.’’
Fizdale’s point-guard rotation is unclear. Smith had a poor 10:20 stint, scoring two points on 1 of 4 shooting with one assist and playing suspect defense. When Payton got into foul trouble late in the third quarter, Fizdale put in ice-cold Frank Ntilikina, who committed two turnovers in 2:54 and had a layup blocked.
“Him and Dennis both had a tough go at it,’’ Fizdale said. “I’m just stressing to all of those guys, be ready because I can call on you at any point. I think that’s part of our strength is the depth. Guys have to keep their mind locked in.’’
It was a no-brainer for Fizdale to make the change at halftime to Payton. Fizdale relied on analytics over common sense in scheming the Barrett-Allonzo Trier starting backcourt.
In the fourth quarter, Payton picked up his fifth foul, came out and the Spurs started their 18-0 run with Barrett back at the point. That Barrett experiment could be shelved for a bit.
“Elfrid brought us back, so let’s go with what’s working,’’ Fizdale said. “It’s got to be fluid that way.’’
The Knicks competed well in their opener, up six with 8:10 to go. But Fizdale still is figuring out his rotations. For instance, Trier was benched after his opening 6:51 stint.
“I’m sure it’s tough for them [not] being set in a rotation,’’ Fizdale said. “We’re not there yet. Some teams have the luxury to know here’s my starting five, here’s my backups. We don’t have that luxury.’’
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