Mitchell makes case but can’t save Knicks

Smith Jr. played well, but still finished 4-of-12 from the field. And Elfrid Payton turned the ball over six times, including a pivotal wasted possession, dribbling the ball off his foot with 12 seconds to go in the fourth quarter.

The Knicks could not score more points than the team with the worst offense in the NBA. This is the state of the team in the city that doesn’t sleep.

In theory, the Knicks aren’t supposed to be this bad.

Somewhere on this dysfunctional team is a roster full of competent, helpful players; players who would otherwise be contributors in a different situation. Mo Harkless, for example, is a helpful player who has been a contributor on playoff teams. Harkless, who the Knicks acquired in the Marcus Morris trade with the Clippers, only took one shot in 25 minutes on the floor.

The Knicks, like everyone else, live in reality, not theory. And in reality, teams aren’t judged by what could or should have been. Instead, they’re judged by what is.

Here’s what is in New York City: a team whose top priority should be deconstructing the most flawed roster in all of sports.

The Knicks, in Knicksian fashion, kept it competitive for a quarter and a half before falling into a double-digit secondquarter hole. The Hornets built a lead as large as 15 in the third quarter — before, of course, the Knicks went on a late-game run.

Portis came off the bench firing, scoring 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting. At times, he looked like a guard on the floor, one fading mid-range jump shot after another.

Randle had a solid game on both ends of the floor: 18 points on 50% shooting to go with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks, but head coach Mike Miller chose to sit Randle in the latter stretch of the fourth quarter.

“Julius had a solid game, but when we’re rolling with a group like that, you stay with your group,” he said. “They were making all the plays. They had the momentum. They had the energy that we needed. We were doing the right things.”

But those are players who don’t factor into the long-term vision of this Knicks team. Barrett, Knox and Smith are players who have a chance, and they’re players who didn’t play well enough to help the Knicks get a win on Wednesday.

Robinson (plus-nine) and Trier (plus-seven), on the other hand, finished with the best plus-minus of all Knicks player. They have earned better roles, even if it’s only for the rest of a wasted season.