Cam Payne provides big Knicks spark as Tom Thibodeau expands rotation

Cam Payne was a spark plug off the bench as Tom Thibodeau expanded his bench in Monday’s 119-100 victory over the Hawks. Payne had 10 points in just 12 minutes, with his four-point play in the third quarter serving as key to the game-altering run.Payne also picked up a technical foul during that sequence, which he explained to The Post. “I’ve been praying to get that call for eight or nine games,” said Payne, who was fouled by a closing defender as he launched the trey.

“[The official I said something to, Danielle Scott] saw the play but didn’t call it.Somebody else called it.

And I was a little upset.I was fired up.

I was like, ‘You were right there and you didn’t call it.’ I didn’t think I was going to get a tech for it.But she heard me.

It was OK.” In the first game of a back-to-back, Thibodeau moved his rotation from eight to nine. Landry Shamet returned after consecutive DNPs, entering the game as the third sub before Payne.He finished with three points in 10 minutes. The four subs were Shamet, Payne, Miles McBride and Precious Achiuwa.

Jericho Sims logged a DNP after starting the previous two contests because of a thumb injury to Karl-Anthony Towns. In terms of rest, the biggest benefactor of the expanded rotation was Mikal Bridges, who leads the NBA in minutes but finished Monday playing just 27 — well below his average.They play at the Nets on Tuesday. “It’s nice man,” Bridges said.

“We got a lot of players, 1 through 15.So it’s good.” Josh Hart, who started Monday after being listed as questionable with a cervical compression, explained to The Post that the injury had been bothering him for a while before it was inflamed in Friday’s loss to the Timberwolves. “It’s been lingering for two weeks but [Friday night] was the one that really did it,” he said. Hart, who finished with 14 points, nine and five assists, said prior to tipoff that he’ll have to manage pain while hoping to avoid further aggra...