There are still some excuses you can offer David Fizdale.

The last five games he coached with the Knicks, he faced title contenders in Philly, Boston, Toronto, Milwaukee and Denver. Fizdale did not have starting point guard Elfrid Payton, part of the recent resurgence, for 17 straight games.

And while Fizdale has gotten rousing support from the coaching fraternity, the old Bill Parcells adage is never false: You are what your record says you are.

After gaining revenge on the depleted Wizards in Washington Saturday to close out 2019, Miller stands at 5-6 – already one more victory this season than the 4-18 Fizdale.

All those coaches/ex-coaches who killed the Knicks for firing Fizdale — Rick Carlisle, Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Stan Van Gundy — are eating New Year’s Eve crow.

Only Jeff Van Gundy was sharp enough to acknowledge Miller as a shrewd basketball lifer deserving a crack at age 55.

“Mike just wants to focus on basketball,” one NBA executive in touch with Knicks brass said. “David is a lot about the glitz and glamour. He may have created some self-created distractions.”

Indeed, Fizdale picked an unnecessary fight last season with good soldier Enes Kanter, raising questions anew about his respect for European players. He made oddly controversial choices such as starting RJ Barrett on opening night at point guard and then failing to give Frank Ntilikina a start in Orlando when the Knicks’ other three point guards were unavailable.

Fizdale also didn’t integrate his coaching staff well enough, exclusively talking to Keith Smart during games while excluding others. (Smart also got the ax).

That’s one item which Miller has amended, getting input from all. He went out of his way to credit his “great staff” the other day — Pat Sullivan, Jud Buechler and Kaleb Canales.

Fizdale’s biggest pitfall, though, was his defensive schemes. Miller has given the ‘D’ more substance and identity.

Their top free agent, Julius Randle also has been unlocked – less point forward and more menacing power forward. Mitchell Robinson is staying out of foul trouble and has more minutes wreaking havoc at the rim, switching less on pick-and-rolls.

Payton is playing like he would have played under Fizdale, but Miller made the tough decision in minimizing Dennis Smith Jr. Since Miller took over, the Knicks are 4-1 when he doesn’t play.

Randle’s surge under Miller – three straight 30-plus games and an uptick in efficiency ratings – is eye-opening and bodes well for 2020.

“I’m not rushing, taking what’s available, what the defense is giving me,” Randle said. “My teammates are doing a great job of getting me the ball in good spots so I can be efficient.”

Across Randle’s early-season struggles, Fizdale never found a solution to the new double teams facing their $63 million signee. In the last 11 outings, Randle has done less creating up top like a point guard and more creating in other spots on the court. That’s a Miller tinker.

“They’re loading up, but we’re learning to play off each other better,” Randle said. “Playing a little faster. I’m reading it better, getting to spots better. The coaches are getting me in spots where I can be efficient. A lot of stuff I was doing earlier was taking too long to get into it and was easy to double. Now I’m able to be a lot more efficient. The stuff like this takes time. Fiz did a great job. Miller is doing a great job.

Miller, the Knicks’ former G League coach and a small-college coach before that, attempts to shy away when the talk centers around him.

“I think Julius is being nice and sharing the credit — the players make the plays,” Miller said.

Entering the new year, the Knicks have held the Nets to 27.9 percent shooting and Washington to 34.4 percent. They switch less on pick-and-rolls and eliminated the zone defense that Fizdale resorted to. Miller wants to hold his guys accountable as man-to-man defenders.

“If the situation dictates, it’s a good changeup, but we focus on other things where we feel like we got a really good base with our coverages,” Miller said. “As time goes, we may look at it but we really haven’t at this point.”

When Miller took over 24 days ago, he kept repeating a mantra about “consistency.” That was Fizdale’s ultimate failing in Steve Mills’ eyes. The president also thought Fizdale lost a certain connection to the team in motivating them.

The Knicks enter 2020 a more consistent model when they host Carmelo’s Anthony’s Trail Blazers on New Year’s Day, then head West where they play both Los Angeles powers.

“I want us to be consistent,” Randle said when asked his New Year’s resolution for the team. “I think we’ve shown a lot of maturity.”

Don’t cry a river for the charismatic Fizdale. Word is Fizdale was content to take the $22 million left on his pact and return to Los Angeles, his hometown.

Miller’s Knicks will be arriving there shortly — a new team.