Former Player Gives Definitive Verdict on Knicks Firing Tom Thibodeau
Former Player Gives Definitive Verdict on Knicks Firing Tom Thibodeau originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The New York Knicks, under head coach Tom Thibodeau, lost to the Indiana Pacers for the second season in a row.
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However, for the first time since 2000, they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals and very clearly have the talent to compete, especially in the Eastern Conference.
As the Knicks grapple with a disappointing loss, Thibodeau has come under fire for his rotations and reluctance to rest his stars during the regular season. However, he has the full faith of the front office and superstar Jalen Brunson, so for now, it seems that his job is safe despite falling short of the NBA Finals.
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Chandler Parsons Offers Thibodeau Verdict
Thibodeau took over as head coach of the Knicks before the 2021-22 season, and aside from his second season in town, New York has improved every season and has made it past the first round for the last three seasons.
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That's the longest streak of winning in the first round that the Knicks have had since 2000.
With "Thibs" seen to be on the hot seat by some, not everyone is sold that there is any pressure on him regarding job security.
"I think his job is safe," said Chandler Parsons. "I think he deserves to come back. I mean, look at his record in his five seasons. Yes, we can nitpick the load management. We can nitpick the depth issues that the Knicks have had, the overusage rate of Jalen Brunson, and the injuries that they've had. But that's not fair. At the end of the day, this team went to the Eastern Conference Finals and lost to a team that they arguably think they were better than."
While the Knicks were favored to beat the Pacers, the Knicks' lack of depth was quickly made apparent, and Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns simply did not play as well as they needed.
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"It would be a huge mistake and disservice to fire him and let him go after the success that he's had there in five seasons," Parsons finished.
The Knicks have the talent to make it out of the East next season, and running things back with a similar roster and coaching staff seems to be the smart thing to do.
Check out the All Knicks home page for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Related: Knicks Players, Coaches Had Major Karl-Anthony Towns Complaints During Season
Related: How New York Knicks Can Land Giannis Antetokounmpo This Offseason
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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