"I'm not going to question Thibs on what he does" - Shaquille O'Neal defends Tom Thibodeau's Game 3 rotation decisions
Among the "Inside the NBA" crew members covering Game 3 between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, only Shaquille O'Neal defended Tom Thibodeau for his decision-making process during the game.
The four-time champion said that he doesn't want to criticize Thibs for finally playing his bench players after resisting for most of the series, simply because the coach knows his team better than anyone.
Advertisement
"I like how the Knicks are the only team to be down by 20 points and come back, showing that they have the resilience and the fight to continue to work. I'm not going to question Thibs on what he does. We all know coaches are going to stay in their bag and will do what they do. But I think the Pacers are also saying that they didn't beat us, we beat ourselves," said O'Neal after the Knicks defeated the Pacers 106-100 in Game 3.
The Knicks' new rotation worked
One of the biggest narratives that has followed Thibs throughout his 12-year coaching career is the notion that he runs his players into the ground. That's because the head coach sticks to a very small rotation, which causes his key players, particularly Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Karl Anthony-Towns, and Mikal Bridges, to play heavy minutes.
But in Game 3, Brunson was called for his fourth foul as early as the first half, which was a nightmare situation for the Knicks, who trailed by as many as 20 points. So Thibs had no choice but to look into his bench, and he resorted to playing Miles McBride for more minutes. The coach also leaned on Mitch Robinson in this one as he started the game over Josh Hart.
Advertisement
Robinson and McBride stepped up to the challenge to the point that the TNT analyst asked what would've happened if Thibs had trusted them more since the series started.
"I think he would've played them, but not as long. What changed the night, he had a mental thought of a chance. When he inserted Mitchell Robinson in. He was like, I have to do something, and that spearheaded all the other things that went well," said Kenny Smith.
Related: "I just got tired of hearing it and just thought it was best for me to move on" - Patrick Ewing admits he regrets leaving the Knicks out of spite
The Knicks just saved their season
McBride and Robinson couldn't think of a better time to step up because if the Knicks had lost Game 3, which looked like it would be the case, their season would've been over.
Advertisement
A lot of credit has to go to big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who put together one of the best performances of his career in the second half, where he scored 20 of his 24 points. The 29-year-old also tallied 15 rebounds, shot 3-7 from the three-point line, as well as 8-17 from the field.
Ultimately, O'Neal was right that Thibs was going to go deep in his bag when he wanted to, and in Game 3, the head coach made the right decision to do that. Not only did the Knicks' coach's rotation complete the biggest comeback in franchise playoff history, but it also gave New York life in what looked like it was about to be a lopsided series in favor of the Pacers.
Related: "I never really cared" - Josh Hart admits he had a hand in the decision to come off the bench in Game 3 vs. Pacers
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
14 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Pacers' 25-year Finals drought is over. Now they're looking to overcome their snake-bitten history
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Pacers have finally ended the franchise's 25-year NBA Finals drought, achieving the unthinkable after starting 10-15 and looking like anything but a title contender. Now Indiana will try to exorcise the demons of its decades-long, snake-bitten history and actually win the title when the Pacers take on the Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals. 'It is really a special thing that happened 25 years ago, I wasn't even six months old,' Tyrese Haliburton said after Indiana's series-ending victory over New York. 'There's a lot of fans who have never seen success from this organization, especially people around my age. They weren't alive for it. "So it's really special what we're doing, and we're just trying to keep making this a special place, a place where people want to come.' The Pacers play in a state where basketball is treated like religion, championship teams become royals and players and coaches emerge as revered figures when they achieve the unexpected like these Pacers. But Indiana hasn't always been that dream destination for NBA players, instead being tabbed as snake-bitten franchise for most of its 48 seasons in the league. — After winning three ABA titles, it took a telethon to save the financially floundering NBA newbie in July 1977. — The Pacers made just one playoff appearance during their first decade in the NBA, losing both games to Philadelphia. — Fans booed resoundingly when the Pacers used a first-round draft pick on Reggie Miller in 1987 instead of home-state favorite Steve Alford. — And their pathway to championships in the 1990s seemed hopelessly blocked by Michael Jordan's Bulls or Patrick Ewing's the Knicks until the breakthrough run in 2000 only to lose to Shaquille O'Neal, the late Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. And though Miller was still playing at a high level, it has taken another quarter-century to make it back. The journey hasn't been an easy one. This Pacers team rallied to eliminate some other snake-bitten opponents. They knocked out the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and the rival Knicks. The second final chapter begins Thursday in Oklahoma City. The expectations were different 25 years ago. Donnie Walsh revamped Indiana's roster by surrounding Miller with younger players following the 1999-2000 season, and four seasons later the Pacers posted the league's best record in 2003-04. They wound up losing the conference final in six games to Detroit. Then came the franchise-changing Malice in the Palace brawl in November 2004. Several lengthy suspensions gutted the team, derailing Miller's last title run while sending the franchise into a downward spiral. Larry Bird fired coach Rick Carlisle, his friend and ex-teammate, two years later and his departure was followed by a rash of devastating injuries. Danny Granger's budding career was cut short by knee tendinitis. Paul George suffered a compound fracture in his right leg in 2014 and he was traded to Oklahoma City in 2017. Two years later, All-Star guard Victor Oladipo ruptured his right quadriceps tendon and was subsequently traded, too. Myles Turner experienced most of the ups and downs of that decade from the Pacers locker room, and it only made his opportunity to hug Miller and Nancy Leonard, the widow of former Pacers longtime coach and broadcaster Bobby 'Slick' Leonard, so much sweeter after winning the conference crown. 'It was just pure excitement, pure validation," Turner said. 'Just all the years, all the hate, all the love, everything in between. So, man, in that moment, it was just pure exuberance.' Turner was a pivotal piece — not the central one — when president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard embarked on another rebuild midway through the 2021-22 season to form the core of this year's squad. He started by dealing All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento for Haliburton. Five months later, Indiana acquired forward Aason Nesmith from Boston for Malcolm Brogdon. And when Pritchard sent Bruce Brown to Toronto for Pascal Siakam in January 2024, Pritchard figured the Pacers finally had their big three. Fans were skeptical, but the Pacers ushered in a new era of basketball, one that combined Indiana's favorite sport with its longtime auto racing tradition, creating a track-like pace brand of basketball. In some ways, these Pacers are a throwback to their ABA roots — fast, high scoring, flurries of 3-pointers and made-for-television entertainment right down to the dance team. 'The pace, it just fits who I am as a person, like the way I play the game,' said Siakam, who won a championship ring with Toronto. 'We have a lot of people who look down on us as an underdog and that's my style. I like that because that's been me my whole life.' The Pacers will open as the underdog against the Thunder, the team George landed with all those years ago. Two former ABA powers, San Antonio and Denver, have won NBA titles. But if the Pacers can capture the Larry O'Brien trophy, they would be the league's only team to be crowned ABA and NBA champions. 'This is not the time to be popping champagne,' said Carlisle, who led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2010-11 title. 'Getting to the NBA Finals is an accomplishment. But if you start looking at it that way, you'll go into it with the wrong mindset. When you get to this point of the season, its two teams, it's one goal so it becomes an all or nothing thing.'
USA Today
24 minutes ago
- USA Today
Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Finals: Which team has the edge?
Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Finals: Which team has the edge? Show Caption Hide Caption Thunder knock off Knicks, will battle Thunder for NBA Finals crown USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes breaks down how the Indiana Pacers fought their way into the NBA Finals. Sports Pulse For the seventh consecutive season, the NBA will have a different champion than the previous season. A team hasn't repeated since Golden State won in 2017 and 2018. For the sixth consecutive season, the NBA has does not even have a repeat finalist from the Eastern or Western conferences. It's the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, and the series starts with Game 1 on Thursday in Oklahoma City (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC). The Thunder can in their first championship since 1979 when the franchise was the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Pacers can win their first title since joining the NBA from the ABA in 1976. It's a nod to small-market success. Or mid-market success. But definitely not your big markets or glamour markets that have been a part of most NBA Finals over the past two decades. One has to go back to the 2007 and the San Antonio-Cleveland series with comparable market sizes in the Finals. And both teams are under the luxury tax. Let's look at matchups and who has the edge: Thunder-Pacers series breakdown: Who has the edge? Backcourt: Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton This is a fantastic matchup of points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP this season, and Haliburton is two-time All-Star who has been sensational in the playoffs. They are different point guards. Gilgeous-Alexander is score-first who can pass, averaging 29.8 points, 6.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals and while shooting 47.1% from the field, and Haliburton is pass-first who can score, averaging 18.8 points, 9.8 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals, and shooting 46.6% from the field in the playoffs. They won't always be guarding each other. The Pacers like to force pace, and Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith will get opportunities to defend Gilgeous-Alexander, sometimes guarding him fullcourt. Oklahoma City's Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace provide backcourt depth. For Indiana, Bennedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard, Nembhard, Nesmith give Haliburton support at the guard spot. Edge: Thunder NBA FINALS ODDS Who is favored in Thunder vs. Pacers? Frontcourt: Thunder's Jalen Williams vs. Pacers' Pascal Siakam Both teams boast frontcourt strength and versatility. They like to protect the paint and play on the perimeter. Williams and Siakam are All-Stars who work hard offensively and defensively — and they both made it to the NBA from mid-majors. Williams attended Santa Clara, and Siakam played at New Mexico State. That back-and-forth will be fascinating to watch. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, one of the savvier offseason signings, are a significant part of the Thunder's offensive and defensive success. Myles Turner, Obi Toppin and Thomas Bryant like to step outside and shoot 3s and play with force. Edge: Thunder Bench Both teams are deep and will use 10 players if necessary. Rotations tighten this deep in the playoffs, so a player like Thomas Bryant might not get consistent from game to game but the Pacers know they can go to him in certain situations. Same with Oklahoma City's Isaiah Joe, Kenrich Williams and Aaron Wiggins. Both coaches have faith in their reserves to deliver. Edge: Thunder Coaching: Rick Carlisle vs. Mark Daigneault This is Pacers coach Rick Carlisle's second trip to the Finals as head coach, and he won a title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. He is one of the game's great coaches and was Coach of the Year in 2001-02. He has adapted to different styles, eras and personnel, and has a gifted offensive mind. He is 83-83 in 16 playoff appearances. Mark Daigneault, the 2023-24 Coach of the Year, has done a fantastic job with the Thunder from 22 victories in his first season as head coach n 2020-21 to 24 to 40 to 57 to 68 victories this season. The Thunder had the No. 1 defense, No. 3 offense and No. 1 net rating and has helped developed a collegial spirit that works at this level. He is 18-8 in the playoffs over two seasons. Edge: Pacers 3-point shooting Both teams can make 3s — the Pacers are better, averaging 13.4 made 3s per game and shooting a 2025 playoff-best 40.1% from that distance. The Thunder are at 12.6 and 33.6%. Oklahoma City is tremendous at taking away the opponent's offensive strength so it's worth watching how they try to limit Indiana's 3-point shooting. Edge: Pacers Bonus category: City life Indianapolis and Oklahoma City are wonderful heartland cities — one more Midwest, the other more southwest. They are cities buoyed by agriculture, tech, medicine, oil and nearby universities. They both bring in a variety of musical acts, arts and entertainment and both have restaurants and chefs recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Edge: Even Overall edge: Pacers vs. Thunder The Thunder were the best team in the regular season and have been the best team in the playoffs. The Pacers have been impressive the past two seasons, but this has seemed like Oklahoma City's year since the first game in October. Edge: Thunder The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pacers' 25-year Finals drought is over. Now they're looking to overcome their snake-bitten history
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Pacers have finally ended the franchise's 25-year NBA Finals drought, achieving the unthinkable after starting 10-15 and looking like anything but a title contender. Now Indiana will try to exorcise the demons of its decades-long, snake-bitten history and actually win the title when the Pacers take on the Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals. Advertisement 'It is really a special thing that happened 25 years ago, I wasn't even six months old,' Tyrese Haliburton said after Indiana's series-ending victory over New York. 'There's a lot of fans who have never seen success from this organization, especially people around my age. They weren't alive for it. "So it's really special what we're doing, and we're just trying to keep making this a special place, a place where people want to come.' The Pacers play in a state where basketball is treated like religion, championship teams become royals and players and coaches emerge as revered figures when they achieve the unexpected like these Pacers. But Indiana hasn't always been that dream destination for NBA players, instead being tabbed as snake-bitten franchise for most of its 48 seasons in the league. Advertisement — After winning three ABA titles, it took a telethon to save the financially floundering NBA newbie in July 1977. — The Pacers made just one playoff appearance during their first decade in the NBA, losing both games to Philadelphia. — Fans booed resoundingly when the Pacers used a first-round draft pick on Reggie Miller in 1987 instead of home-state favorite Steve Alford. — And their pathway to championships in the 1990s seemed hopelessly blocked by Michael Jordan's Bulls or Patrick Ewing's the Knicks until the breakthrough run in 2000 only to lose to Shaquille O'Neal, the late Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Advertisement And though Miller was still playing at a high level, it has taken another quarter-century to make it back. The journey hasn't been an easy one. This Pacers team rallied to eliminate some other snake-bitten opponents. They knocked out the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and the rival Knicks. The second final chapter begins Thursday in Oklahoma City. The expectations were different 25 years ago. Donnie Walsh revamped Indiana's roster by surrounding Miller with younger players following the 1999-2000 season, and four seasons later the Pacers posted the league's best record in 2003-04. They wound up losing the conference final in six games to Detroit. Advertisement Then came the franchise-changing Malice in the Palace brawl in November 2004. Several lengthy suspensions gutted the team, derailing Miller's last title run while sending the franchise into a downward spiral. Larry Bird fired coach Rick Carlisle, his friend and ex-teammate, two years later and his departure was followed by a rash of devastating injuries. Danny Granger's budding career was cut short by knee tendinitis. Paul George suffered a compound fracture in his right leg in 2014 and he was traded to Oklahoma City in 2017. Two years later, All-Star guard Victor Oladipo ruptured his right quadriceps tendon and was subsequently traded, too. Myles Turner experienced most of the ups and downs of that decade from the Pacers locker room, and it only made his opportunity to hug Miller and Nancy Leonard, the widow of former Pacers longtime coach and broadcaster Bobby 'Slick' Leonard, so much sweeter after winning the conference crown. Advertisement 'It was just pure excitement, pure validation," Turner said. 'Just all the years, all the hate, all the love, everything in between. So, man, in that moment, it was just pure exuberance.' Turner was a pivotal piece — not the central one — when president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard embarked on another rebuild midway through the 2021-22 season to form the core of this year's squad. He started by dealing All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento for Haliburton. Five months later, Indiana acquired forward Aason Nesmith from Boston for Malcolm Brogdon. And when Pritchard sent Bruce Brown to Toronto for Pascal Siakam in January 2024, Pritchard figured the Pacers finally had their big three. Fans were skeptical, but the Pacers ushered in a new era of basketball, one that combined Indiana's favorite sport with its longtime auto racing tradition, creating a track-like pace brand of basketball. Advertisement In some ways, these Pacers are a throwback to their ABA roots — fast, high scoring, flurries of 3-pointers and made-for-television entertainment right down to the dance team. 'The pace, it just fits who I am as a person, like the way I play the game,' said Siakam, who won a championship ring with Toronto. 'We have a lot of people who look down on us as an underdog and that's my style. I like that because that's been me my whole life.' The Pacers will open as the underdog against the Thunder, the team George landed with all those years ago. Two former ABA powers, San Antonio and Denver, have won NBA titles. But if the Pacers can capture the Larry O'Brien trophy, they would be the league's only team to be crowned ABA and NBA champions. 'This is not the time to be popping champagne,' said Carlisle, who led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2010-11 title. 'Getting to the NBA Finals is an accomplishment. But if you start looking at it that way, you'll go into it with the wrong mindset. When you get to this point of the season, its two teams, it's one goal so it becomes an all or nothing thing.' ___ AP NBA: Michael Marot, The Associated Press
