Latest news with #Thibs
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New York Knicks Fire Tom Thibodeau After Latest Failed Season
New York Knicks Fire Tom Thibodeau After Latest Failed Season originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Three days after their defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks have decided to part ways with their veteran coach, Tom Thibodeau. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the move comes amid concerns over the team's culture and approach in their humbling series loss to the Indiana Pacers. Advertisement "Tom Thibodeau has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the New York Knicks after five seasons," said Shams on SportsCenter. "I'm told the Knicks believe they need a new voice, someone who can take them to the next step of the organization's future, which they hope is an NBA championship. They feel like they need a new voice, and that's what the decision was made today by Knicks owner James Dolan. Leon Rose informed Tom Thibodeau today that he has been let go as head coach." The Knicks had a solid regular season, finishing third in the East at 51-31. After the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, they developed solid chemistry going into the playoffs, where they managed to beat the Pistons and Celtics for their first Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. All was looking good for the Knicks... until their match-up with the Pacers in round three. Unequipped to handle Indiana's fast-paced style, the Knicks quickly lost control of the series after going down 2-0 in their first two games at home. Now, after their playoff elimination (with at least four losses at Madison Square Garden), the Knicks have decided on major changes to further maximize their title potential. While most of the moves are expected to alter the roster (potentially even adding a big star like Kevin Durant), it seems they are also on the market for a coach to bring a new direction to the locker room. Advertisement The Knicks saw a lot of growth under Thibs. When he first got hired in 2020, after three years with the Timberwolves, the Knicks were coming off one of their worst seasons ever (17-65) and were at rock bottom as a franchise. It was Thibs who helped establish a championship culture in New York and make the Knicks a respectable team. It's also no secret that Thibodeau's coaching methods are highly controversial in NBA circles. Besides a defensive-first strategy, his game plan often involves giving heavy minutes to the starters and restricting the rotation to six or seven players. Some have even called his coaching style outdated. As the clear scapegoat for their failures, the Knicks dismissed Thibodeau with hopes of ushering in a brand new era for the franchise. As good as the ride has been with Jalen Brunson, the Knicks need a primary superstar to lead the way for them and the proper coach to bring out their best. The process of choosing Thibs' replacement will be long, but a list of contenders is already being formed that includes names like Kenny Atkinson, Mike Budenholzer, Patrick Ewing, Sam Cassell, and Cavs assistant coach Jonnie Bryant. It remains to be seen who will step up as the next coach for New York, but they are hoping that this one sticks around. Advertisement Thibs makes the fourth coach that the Knicks have fired in 10 years (2015), and fans are split on who should be the next one up. It's just another thing the Knicks will have to figure out this offseason as they try to make a move that will raise their title odds. Related: 5 Biggest Stars The New York Knicks Might Acquire This Offseason This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Tom Thibodeau didn't cost the Knicks a ring, but firing him makes sense
Tom Thibodeau didn't cost the Knicks a ring, but firing him makes sense Knicks basically decide Thibs is Buck Showalter. — Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) June 3, 2025 This is my Good Will Hunting moment for Tom Thibodeau, who was stunningly fired just days after the New York Knicks fell short of the NBA Finals: it's not your fault. No, it wasn't Thibs' fault that the Knicks couldn't keep up with the high-octane Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. He was given the right team on paper to compete for a championship, from do-it-all wing Josh Hart to a superstar in Jalen Brunson to an All-NBA caliber Karl-Anthon Towns. But when a team looks like a contender on paper and falls short? Maybe it's time for another mind to take what could be and bring it to its full potential. I know that hearing this coming from a Knicks fan is going to sound a little ridiculous, and in NO WAY am I trying to compare the Knicks to a generational team that has won multiple titles ... BUT! This feels like the time the Warriors fired Mark Jackson, only to replace him with ... Steve Kerr. A team that had just fallen short in the playoffs in back-to-back years had it all on paper, but it needed another coach to get it to the next level. That's what this firing is -- less of a knock on Thibs, who was beloved by fans and players for giving this team the snarl and defensive mindset it needed to get to within a couple of wins of a title shot. Sure, there were warts there -- he played his starters way too much, grinding them down throughout the year, although the Knicks' depth wasn't the best. And for a coach known for his defensive mindset, it was the defense that suffered as the Pacers dismantled them both on fast breaks and in halfcourt situations where you'd see a wide open shot a lot. But maybe there's someone else who can unlock what needs to be fixed. Because the bones of the roster are those of a contender who a new coach can look at and figure out what role Mikal Bridges needs to play, or how to get KAT to lock in better defensively. Sometimes, teams need a change at the top, even those that came away with what any fan would call a successful season. Thanks for everything, Thibs. If the Knicks win a ring after you're gone, you deserve a lot of credit for getting this team this far.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"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
