logo
Did beating the Boston Celtics cost coach Tom Thibodeau his job with the New York Knicks?

Did beating the Boston Celtics cost coach Tom Thibodeau his job with the New York Knicks?

USA Today3 days ago

Did beating the Boston Celtics cost coach Tom Thibodeau his job with the New York Knicks?
Did beating the Boston Celtics actually cost coach Tom Thibodeau his job with the New York Knicks? Such a point of view might sound a bit absurd at first glance, but when you take a deeper dive into the concept being floated in such a statement, there is a case to be made that this could be true.
The Knicks, of course, were widely seen as underdogs to beat the then-reigning NBA champs, with the Celtics heavily favored by oddsmakers heading into their 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals second round series with Boston. But we all know how that prospect ended up turning out with the benefit of hindsight; did New York beating the Celtics raise the front office expectations to a degree that made a future with Thibs untenable?
The hosts of the eponymous CLNS Media "Bob Ryan, Jeff Goodman, and Gary Tanguay!" podcast took some time on a recent episode of their show to talk it over. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say!
If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network: https://ytubl.ink/3Ffk

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The Boston Celtics could look to trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft
The Boston Celtics could look to trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

The Boston Celtics could look to trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft

The Boston Celtics could look to trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft The Boston Celtics hold the 28th and 32nd picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Brad Stevens and the front office have already begun holding pre-draft workouts with players that could potentially fall within that range. Since taking the President of Basketball Operations role, Stevens has leaned toward long-tenured collegiate players, as they're often more polished and capable of contributing at the NBA level. Given the Celtics' precarious cap space situation and the potential for multiple roster changes this summer, the upcoming draft could be an important one for Boston. While not a usual Celtics source, Grant Afseth of RG has reported that Boston is exploring moving up in the draft, as they look for a long-term solution at the point guard position. "The Boston Celtics are quietly conducting due diligence on point guard prospects and evaluating trade-up scenarios ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, league sources told RG," Afseth reported on June 11. "Boston's interest in the position comes as veteran guard Jrue Holiday remains the subject of trade interest around the league. The Celtics have not shut down trade talks centered around Holiday as the team prepares to potentially reconfigure its long-term cap table. The possibility of adding a point guard prospect to begin developing should not be overlooked." It remains to be seen what type of guard the Celtics could be interested in. Trying to replace Jrue Holiday is a tall order. The veteran guard is a genuine three-level scorer and one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. However, if the opportunity to add a high-potential guard to the rotation becomes available, the Celtics would be wise to explore it. Should the Celtics acquire another guard via the draft, it will be interesting to see how that impacts JD Davison, who finally got his first full-time NBA contract late last season. The 2025 G League MVP could quickly find himself glued to the bench if Joe Mazzulla is given a remit to develop a draft talent ahead of Jayson Tatum's return in 2026. The Celtics are expected to make multiple roster moves in the coming months. The rotation will likely look very different by the start of the new season. If that means there's a new rookie to cheer for, the fanbase will likely get behind their development. For now, though, all eyes will be on what happens in the trade market, along with what could happen on draft night. Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on: YouTube: Website:

Mavs deny Jason Kidd request, latest to turn down Knicks in coaching search
Mavs deny Jason Kidd request, latest to turn down Knicks in coaching search

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Mavs deny Jason Kidd request, latest to turn down Knicks in coaching search

Mavs deny Jason Kidd request, latest to turn down Knicks in coaching search | Reports Show Caption Hide Caption Six names to replace Tom Thibodeau for the Knicks new head coach Who should replace Tom Thibodeau now that the Knicks have decided to move away from their head coach? The For The Hoops crew picks six names here. The New York Knicks moved swiftly in making the controversial decision to fire coach Tom Thibodeau after losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Finding his replacement is proving to be more difficult, and perhaps harder than anybody inside Madison Square Garden thought. The Knicks have sought permission to speak with at least three sitting NBA head coaches in recent days and been turned down by every team currently employing them, according to multiple reports. ESPN reported Wednesday that Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks became the latest coach New York sought permission to speak with only to be denied by the Mavericks. The Knicks have also tried to interview Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets since firing Thibodeau on June 3, according to multiple reports. ANALYSIS: Tyrese Haliburton going to film school to decode Thunder's defense New York is coming off its first conference finals appearance in 25 years under Thibodeau, who spent five seasons with the Knicks. His firing came less than a year after he signed a three-year contract extension that hadn't even started yet. The Knicks were the fifth NBA head coach opening this offseason and the only available job at the moment. Three openings were filled when the Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets each elected to elevate their interim coach from the end of the 2024-25 NBA season. The Phoenix Suns recently hired former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Jordan Ott to be its new coach. Kidd, 52, led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals and has five playoff appearances over nine seasons as an NBA head coach with the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas. He was also an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers when they won the 2020 NBA championship. Finch, 55, just took the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the second year in a row. Udoka, 47, spearheaded the Boston Celtics when they went to the 2022 NBA Finals before serving a one-year suspension due to multiple violations of team policy. He was hired by Houston ahead of the 2023-24 season and has quickly turned the Rockets into a Western Conference contender in his two seasons there. Thibodeau, 67, previously served as the head coach for the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. His .579 career winning percentage is the highest by any coach without an NBA Finals appearance (minimum 300 games coached), according to ESPN. He wrote a thank you letter to Knicks fans that was posted to social media and ran as a full-page ad in Wednesday's New York Times.

NBA Player Sends Message After Being Released by Celtics in 2019
NBA Player Sends Message After Being Released by Celtics in 2019

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

NBA Player Sends Message After Being Released by Celtics in 2019

NBA Player Sends Message After Being Released by Celtics in 2019 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Back in 2016, the Boston Celtics had a major rookie class that consisted of a few important names. Most notably, with the third overall pick that yet, Boston drafted Jaylen Brown. Brown is still a part of the Celtics and was crucial to their championship victory in 2024, earning Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals MVP honors. Advertisement In addition to Brown, the Celtics also drafted another notable player that year in Guerschon Yabusele, who they took 16th overall. The French native spent two seasons in Boston before the team waived him in 2019. Nearly six years later, Yabusele sent a message regarding his time in Boston. Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28).© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images After getting waived by the Celtics in 2019, Yabusele played overseas and did not return to the NBA until last year. Following an impressive run in the Olympics, Yabusele joined the Philadelphia 76ers and appeared in nearly every game for the team. Recently, the 29-year-old spoke about how different his mentality is now compared to his Celtics days, and he admitted to it being "completely different" (h/t Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype). Advertisement "It was a completely different mentality than when I was in Boston, because when I was in Boston, I was drafted first round, 16th pick, so my standards and what I was hoping was completely different from right now," Yabusele said. "I didn't have that much experience, too. I was really just young, and I wanted just to play." Despite being a first-round draft pick for Boston, Yabusele did not play much. During his two seasons with the team, he averaged just 6.6 minutes across 74 games. Yabusele is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. It remains to be seen whether he will remain in Philadelphia or go elsewhere. Regardless, he has done a fantastic job of reviving his NBA career after his release from the Celtics, and his status will be a fun one to follow throughout the offseason. Related: Celtics Free Agent Sends Message Before Major Career Decision Related: Former Celtics Star Announces Decision on Retirement This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store