DALLAS — Elfrid Payton and Dennis Smith Jr., meet Wally Pipp.
As much drama and symbolism came from winning Friday’s Kristaps Porzingis Bowl, the event could ultimately be remembered as the night Frank Ntilikina inherited the Knicks’ starting point guard job for the next 10 years.
Pipp is known in folklore as the Yankees first baseman who took a day off, allowing Lou Gehrig to start. The rest is New York sports history.
“Just what he’s been doing is getting better and better,’’ Knicks coach Fizdale said of Ntilikina. “Every game he becomes more confident.