The New York Knicks have reportedly dismissed their head coach, Tom Thibodeau, shortly after the team was knocked out in six games by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks had high hopes this season, aiming for their first championship since 1973, having made several significant trades involving Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to acquire Mikal Bridges and Carl Anthony Towns. Despite achieving their best playoff run since 2000 and holding home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals, they fell short of reaching the NBA Finals.
Thibodeau was hired in 2020 to lead a Knicks team that had missed the playoffs in the previous seven seasons. He quickly turned things around and was named Coach of the Year in the 2020-21 season when the team finished 41-31. Although the Knicks missed the playoffs in 2022, they advanced to the second round in consecutive seasons with the help of free agent Jalen Brunson, whom they saw as a key building block to push for a title. Bridges, alongside Brunson and Villanova teammate Josh Hart, was expected to form a strong supporting cast with OG Anunoby, but Bridges struggled with his defense and three-point shooting, and Towns faced defensive challenges despite offensive success.
Thibodeau’s coaching style, particularly his heavy reliance on starters, began to show its toll. Bridges noted in March that such extensive playing time couldn’t always be physically sustainable. Thibodeau’s reluctance to develop a reliable bench or experiment with different lineups led to issues, especially with Josh Hart’s poor shooting and ineffective pick-and-roll execution involving Brunson and Towns. Hart’s defensive presence was important, but inserting a shooter in his role might have helped; however, Hart saw limited bench time, mostly playing alongside the starters.
Entering the 2025 playoffs as the third seed, the Knicks marked their best performance in over a decade. They overcame the Detroit Pistons in six games in the first round and upset the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, in six games in the second round. With the Cavaliers and Celtics eliminated on the opposite bracket side, New York appeared to have a clear path to the Finals. However, the Pacers dashed those hopes, and much of the blame for the loss fell on Thibodeau. Despite suggestions from Hart to change the starting lineup during the Boston series, Thibodeau kept his usual combination for the first two games against Indiana, which resulted in two home losses and an overall underwhelming postseason showing. Though he adjusted lineups as the series went on and used rarely seen reserves Laundry Shemette and Deron Wright, the Knicks ultimately lost the series in six games.
Thibodeau exits as the fourth-winningest coach in Knicks history, behind Red Holzman, Joe Lapchick, and Jeff Van Gundy. With a strong roster and a capable front office, the Knicks are now back in the market for a coach. This opportunity is an attractive one given the recent coaching turnover around the league and the team’s championship aspirations, but the expectations remain high — whoever steps in will have pressure to deliver a title.
Fan Take: This coaching change signals a critical moment for the Knicks as they aim to capitalize on their talented roster and break their long championship drought. Basketball fans should watch closely, as the next coach’s success or failure will shape the team’s legacy and influence the competitive balance in the Eastern Conference.
