Knicks’ depth issue facing major test against Payton Pritchard, Celtics’ bench

BOSTON — The Knicks bench predictably emerged as a weakness in the first round against the Pistons.

Now, they match up with the best bench player in the league.

Already with probably the best starting five in the league, the Celtics bench provides little reprieve for the Knicks.

Payton Pritchard — the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year — leads the way.

“He had a terrific season for them,” coach Tom Thibodeau said after Knicks practice Sunday. “[Sam] Hauser’s played really well for them as well. [Luke] Kornet’s given them good minutes. The challenge is the shooting aspect of it. They usually have five 3-point shooters on the floor.”

Pritchard averaged a career-high 14.3 points per game in the regular season on 47.2 percent shooting from the field and 40.7 percent on 3-pointers, playing an average of 28.4 minutes a game.

In the postseason, that has decreased a bit to 26.8 minutes a game, and he is averaging 9.2 points on 51.6 percent shooting from the field and 50.0 percent from deep.

Lack of depth was often an issue for the Knicks in the regular season, but it was magnified by Miles McBride’s struggles in the first round.

He scored just 3.8 points per game on brutal 26.7 percent shooting from the field and 26.3 from 3-point range.

He is likely to match up plenty with Pritchard when the two teams go to their benches.

It could be a matchup that provides the Celtics a big edge.

“It’s not one particular guy, it’s how the group functions when they’re out there,” Thibodeau said of McBride. “Our bench has been productive throughout the year. So just bounce back, be good in the next one.”

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The one bright spot for the Knicks bench in the first round was Mitchell Robinson, who at times had very productive stints — particularly on the glass.

And his defense could be important, with the Celtics usually keeping two bigs who can shoot from deep — Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford — on the court at the same time.

Towns struggled defensively in four regular-season matchups against the Celtics, getting hunted on pick-and-rolls.

He is not particularly quick to guard Porzingis or Horford outside the perimeter.

Robinson is more adept.

Robinson was only active for the final of the four regular-season matchups, and it was by far their most competitive — a 119-117 loss in overtime.

“Mitch gives us rim protection, he gives us versatility,” Thibodeau said. “The rebounding, offensive rebounding, the switchability on pick-and-rolls is important, he gives us that as well.”