DISA-POINT-ING
Smith rides bench as Payton takes control as ball-handler
SAN ANTONIO — This wasn’t the best of starts for Dennis Smith Jr. Two hours before tipoff, Smith was told coach David Fizdale had decided on starting RJ Barrett at point guard, eschewing all three of his traditional point guards.
While Smith was the first point guard off the bench after Barrett struggled as floor general, he didn’t excel. He played 10:20 in the first half then got benched for the entire second half as Elfrid Payton got on a roll.
“It was a short night, short night,’’ Smith said afterward. “It is what it is.’’
Smith didn’t look smooth on either end and it came after a struggle of a preseason. He finished the season opener 1 of 4 with three fouls and two points.
It looks like Smith will have to find his rhythm in a bench role for now as Payton may have locked up the starting job. Smith never came off the bench in Dallas and started all but two games after the trade to the Knicks last January.
“It’s different,’’ Smith said. “It’s a different type of preparation. You don’t get to go out there and get the same feel for the game because it’s already started. It’s different kind of preparation for me.”
If he was stunned by the move to Barrett, Smith wouldn’t say. The Knicks have a lot invested in Smith, the key piece to the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Porzingis made his Dallas debut Wednesday with 23 points in a 108-100 Mavericks win over the Wizards.
“It’s coach’s decision,’’ Smith said. “I’m all for whatever helps us win. I believe coach knows what he’s doing. I keep my faith in myself and my work. I can’t put too much else on anybody else.
“I have a vision for myself that maybe no one else believes in but I got it for myself.
I can’t let anyone get in the way of that.”
It was also a bad night for point guard Frank Ntilikina, who played just 2:54 and committed two turnovers, including a key one in the final seconds of the first half.
Before the game, Fizdale explained the Barrett-Allonzo Trier starting backcourt — an experiment that probably is over.
“I feel like RJ actually forced it,’’ Fizdale said. “I really liked the way ’ Zo played. By no means is this an indictment on anybody or stuck in stone. I still want these guys to be fighting for that top spot.”
Ironically the announcement came three days after the Knicks picked up the fourth-year rookie options on Ntilkina ($6.2 million) and Smith ($5.6 million). The three point guards had poor preseasons, especially shooting the ball. According to an insider, Trier’s outside shooting was key to making this move on opening night.
After the game, with Payton excelling with 11 points, eight assists, five steals and no turnovers, Fizdale gave an indication the ex-Pelican has the nod.