Time for a change as coach Thibodeau told to Knick off
Tom Thibodeau just took the New York Knicks to the NBA's Eastern Conference finals, the deepest play-off march in 25 years for a franchise that re-emerged as a contender after he became their coach.
For that, he was fired.
The Knicks made what they called a "difficult decision" to move on from Thibodeau on Tuesday, believing it was a necessary step in their chase for a championship.
"We can't thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four play-off berths and four play-off series victories," team president Leon Rose said in a statement.
"Ultimately we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best."
The Knicks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 on Saturday night, falling two games short of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
Axing the coach is a strange decision by the Knicks, who had been one of the league's worst franchises for most of the 2000s until Thibodeau was hired in 2020. He led the Knicks to the play-offs in his first season, winning his second NBA Coach of the Year award, and they have been solid contenders in recent seasons. They gave Thibodeau a three-year contract extension last summer.
Their big breakthrough came in 2024-25, when they knocked off defending champions Boston in the second round to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2000, when Thibodeau was an assistant under Jeff Van Gundy.
Thibodeau faced criticisms that his hard-driving style and over-reliance on his starters wore down his players, the same ones who have followed him since the beginning of his head coaching career in Chicago. But his ways seemed to be working in New York.
The Knicks hadn't won a play-off series since 2013, but now have done it in three straight seasons. They went 50-32 in 2023-24 and followed that with a 51-31 record this season.
Thibodeau grew up as a Knicks fan in Connecticut, before joining the organisation as an assistant coach in 1996.
He went on to help the Boston Celtics win the 2008 NBA title as an assistant, earning a reputation as one of the league's top defensive minds, before finally getting a chance as a head coach with the Bulls in 2010-11. He went 62-20 in his first season, earning his first Coach of the Year award.
Thibodeau, who spent five seasons with the Bulls and also coached Minnesota, is 578-420 as a head coach.
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Tyrese Haliburton and the never-say-die Indiana Pacers have pulled off yet another last-second comeback, this time on the NBA's biggest stage. Haliburton's 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left gave Indiana their first and only lead of the game as the Pacers stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in game one of the NBA Finals after a comeback for the ages. "Man, basketball's fun," Haliburton said on Thursday night (local time). "Winning is fun." Especially like this. The Pacers turned the ball over 25 times, trailed by 15 points in the fourth quarter against a team with the best home record in the NBA and had no answers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the NBA MVP who led all scorers with 38 points. But they had the league's new Mr. Big Shot, who has now had one of these moments in every series the Pacers have played in these playoffs. On April 29, Indiana trailed Milwaukee 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in overtime. Haliburton scored with 1.4 seconds remaining and the Pacers won 119-118. On May 6, Indiana trailed Cleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds left and won 120-119. Haliburton got the game-winner with 1.1 seconds to play. On May 21, Indiana trailed New York 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in regulation. Haliburton sent it to overtime on a jumper with no time on the clock; Indiana won 138-135. "We've had lots of experience in these kinds of games," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. The Pacers were down by 15 with 9:42 left, their rally the biggest in the fourth quarter of a finals game since Dallas also came from 15 down to beat Miami on June 2, 2011. Carlisle coached those Mavericks. And, well, here he is again. "That's a really good team," Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. "Credit them for not only tonight but their run. "They've had so many games like that that have seemed improbable. And they just play with a great spirit and they keep coming. They keep playing." Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points. Obi Toppin scored 17, Myles Turner had 15, and Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each had 14. Jalen Williams had 17 and Lu Dort scored 15 for Oklahoma City, which was 36-1 at home with 15-point leads this season. Game two is at Oklahoma City on Sunday night (local time). Oklahoma City led by 15 early in the fourth when Carlisle called time and subbed out all five players, seeking a spark. It worked. The Pacers outscored the Thunder 15-4 over the next 3:26 - getting within 98-94 on a 3 by Turner with 6:16 left. "We had control of the game for the most part," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Now, it's a 48-minute game. And they teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league - the hard way." Tyrese Haliburton and the never-say-die Indiana Pacers have pulled off yet another last-second comeback, this time on the NBA's biggest stage. Haliburton's 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left gave Indiana their first and only lead of the game as the Pacers stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in game one of the NBA Finals after a comeback for the ages. "Man, basketball's fun," Haliburton said on Thursday night (local time). "Winning is fun." Especially like this. The Pacers turned the ball over 25 times, trailed by 15 points in the fourth quarter against a team with the best home record in the NBA and had no answers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the NBA MVP who led all scorers with 38 points. But they had the league's new Mr. Big Shot, who has now had one of these moments in every series the Pacers have played in these playoffs. On April 29, Indiana trailed Milwaukee 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in overtime. Haliburton scored with 1.4 seconds remaining and the Pacers won 119-118. On May 6, Indiana trailed Cleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds left and won 120-119. Haliburton got the game-winner with 1.1 seconds to play. On May 21, Indiana trailed New York 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in regulation. Haliburton sent it to overtime on a jumper with no time on the clock; Indiana won 138-135. "We've had lots of experience in these kinds of games," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. The Pacers were down by 15 with 9:42 left, their rally the biggest in the fourth quarter of a finals game since Dallas also came from 15 down to beat Miami on June 2, 2011. Carlisle coached those Mavericks. And, well, here he is again. "That's a really good team," Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. "Credit them for not only tonight but their run. "They've had so many games like that that have seemed improbable. And they just play with a great spirit and they keep coming. They keep playing." Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points. Obi Toppin scored 17, Myles Turner had 15, and Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each had 14. Jalen Williams had 17 and Lu Dort scored 15 for Oklahoma City, which was 36-1 at home with 15-point leads this season. Game two is at Oklahoma City on Sunday night (local time). Oklahoma City led by 15 early in the fourth when Carlisle called time and subbed out all five players, seeking a spark. It worked. The Pacers outscored the Thunder 15-4 over the next 3:26 - getting within 98-94 on a 3 by Turner with 6:16 left. "We had control of the game for the most part," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Now, it's a 48-minute game. And they teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league - the hard way." Tyrese Haliburton and the never-say-die Indiana Pacers have pulled off yet another last-second comeback, this time on the NBA's biggest stage. Haliburton's 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left gave Indiana their first and only lead of the game as the Pacers stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in game one of the NBA Finals after a comeback for the ages. "Man, basketball's fun," Haliburton said on Thursday night (local time). "Winning is fun." Especially like this. The Pacers turned the ball over 25 times, trailed by 15 points in the fourth quarter against a team with the best home record in the NBA and had no answers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the NBA MVP who led all scorers with 38 points. But they had the league's new Mr. Big Shot, who has now had one of these moments in every series the Pacers have played in these playoffs. On April 29, Indiana trailed Milwaukee 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in overtime. Haliburton scored with 1.4 seconds remaining and the Pacers won 119-118. On May 6, Indiana trailed Cleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds left and won 120-119. Haliburton got the game-winner with 1.1 seconds to play. On May 21, Indiana trailed New York 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in regulation. Haliburton sent it to overtime on a jumper with no time on the clock; Indiana won 138-135. "We've had lots of experience in these kinds of games," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. The Pacers were down by 15 with 9:42 left, their rally the biggest in the fourth quarter of a finals game since Dallas also came from 15 down to beat Miami on June 2, 2011. Carlisle coached those Mavericks. And, well, here he is again. "That's a really good team," Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. "Credit them for not only tonight but their run. "They've had so many games like that that have seemed improbable. And they just play with a great spirit and they keep coming. They keep playing." Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points. Obi Toppin scored 17, Myles Turner had 15, and Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each had 14. Jalen Williams had 17 and Lu Dort scored 15 for Oklahoma City, which was 36-1 at home with 15-point leads this season. Game two is at Oklahoma City on Sunday night (local time). Oklahoma City led by 15 early in the fourth when Carlisle called time and subbed out all five players, seeking a spark. It worked. The Pacers outscored the Thunder 15-4 over the next 3:26 - getting within 98-94 on a 3 by Turner with 6:16 left. "We had control of the game for the most part," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Now, it's a 48-minute game. And they teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league - the hard way." Tyrese Haliburton and the never-say-die Indiana Pacers have pulled off yet another last-second comeback, this time on the NBA's biggest stage. Haliburton's 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left gave Indiana their first and only lead of the game as the Pacers stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in game one of the NBA Finals after a comeback for the ages. "Man, basketball's fun," Haliburton said on Thursday night (local time). "Winning is fun." Especially like this. The Pacers turned the ball over 25 times, trailed by 15 points in the fourth quarter against a team with the best home record in the NBA and had no answers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the NBA MVP who led all scorers with 38 points. But they had the league's new Mr. Big Shot, who has now had one of these moments in every series the Pacers have played in these playoffs. On April 29, Indiana trailed Milwaukee 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in overtime. Haliburton scored with 1.4 seconds remaining and the Pacers won 119-118. On May 6, Indiana trailed Cleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds left and won 120-119. Haliburton got the game-winner with 1.1 seconds to play. On May 21, Indiana trailed New York 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in regulation. Haliburton sent it to overtime on a jumper with no time on the clock; Indiana won 138-135. "We've had lots of experience in these kinds of games," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. The Pacers were down by 15 with 9:42 left, their rally the biggest in the fourth quarter of a finals game since Dallas also came from 15 down to beat Miami on June 2, 2011. Carlisle coached those Mavericks. And, well, here he is again. "That's a really good team," Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. "Credit them for not only tonight but their run. "They've had so many games like that that have seemed improbable. And they just play with a great spirit and they keep coming. They keep playing." Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points. Obi Toppin scored 17, Myles Turner had 15, and Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each had 14. Jalen Williams had 17 and Lu Dort scored 15 for Oklahoma City, which was 36-1 at home with 15-point leads this season. Game two is at Oklahoma City on Sunday night (local time). Oklahoma City led by 15 early in the fourth when Carlisle called time and subbed out all five players, seeking a spark. It worked. The Pacers outscored the Thunder 15-4 over the next 3:26 - getting within 98-94 on a 3 by Turner with 6:16 left. "We had control of the game for the most part," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Now, it's a 48-minute game. And they teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league - the hard way."
