Breaking: Tom Fired

[TexasMassacre]

Best news I've heard all year. LETS FSCKING GO CSNTS!

[SelbyCobra]

Listened to bunch of talking heads. Ian Begley was the most informative. The FO didn’t see a conference finals as success. They want a championship. This roster and Thibs maxed out what they can do together. I like the aggressiveness here. Granted it is not a guarantee a different coach can get us to even where we were this year but Thibs wouldn’t guarantee that either. What would have improved with another Thibs season? What would he have done differently next year that he didn’t try this year? The answer is probably nothing. We would continue going through the motions and next year we might not be as lucky with injuries.

Here's the thing about the bolded, and I've seen it brought up a couple of times - the idea that Thibs "deserves another chance".

This season was the other chance.

Last season they played an inferior Pacers team and fell short in 7 games, in large part due to injury. Missing Anunoby, missing Mitch, shouldn't have even been playing Hart, and everybody exhausted. When they lost in Game 7 last year with the remaining skeleton crew, there was a contingent of fans saying the Knicks need to move on, that these injuries and exhaustion were a product of Thibs' style - and then a larger response from the fans and media that Thibs "deserves another chance" because of all the injuries. The Knicks were the better team, and -265 favorites heading into the series, but injury luck sabotaged Thibs as a coach. "He deserves another chance".

He got it this season. He arrived in the ECF against this same Pacers team - almost exactly the same - only this time he had a healthy Anunoby, healthy Mitch, healthy Hart, and DDV and iHart had been replaced with Mikal Bridges and KAT. The basketball gods handed him the blueprint in Game 1 via foul trouble, and he was so stubbornly dogmatic in his rejection of that gift that he ended up catalyzing a literal 1 in a 1000 odds loss (well, maybe not literally - it was 1 in 972 or something that I don't care to revisit now that he's been fired and we can move on ). A more fortified Knicks team loses as a -155 favorite to the same Pacers team, but in 6 games this time.

This was Thibs' "another chance".

[nykballa2k4]

kenny atkinson did worse against indy than we did

Thibs defenders my god.

No he didn't, cavs had multiple injuries.

I mean he did. Cavs were a more talented team on paper and had a worse outcome even before the injuries set in.
KAT was also playing visibly hobbled.

Still love Kenny, one the top coaches in the league with out question. Thibs deserved one more year to see if he could get that ring. Now we won't know.

The expectation for next season is #2 seed in the east or greater. Thibs would have gotten that. Whoever they pick (and they had better already know/have the deal signed) needs to meet that or exceed that.

[GettinitDone]

You all think Rick Brunson is one of the hc candidates? Or will the new head coach retain him as assistant? Or is he gone with Thibs too?

[Jose7]

You all think Rick Brunson is one of the hc candidates? Or will the new head coach retain him as assistant? Or is he gone with Thibs too?

zero chance

[sol537]

Listened to bunch of talking heads. Ian Begley was the most informative. The FO didn’t see a conference finals as success. They want a championship. This roster and Thibs maxed out what they can do together. I like the aggressiveness here. Granted it is not a guarantee a different coach can get us to even where we were this year but Thibs wouldn’t guarantee that either. What would have improved with another Thibs season? What would he have done differently next year that he didn’t try this year? The answer is probably nothing. We would continue going through the motions and next year we might not be as lucky with injuries.

Here's the thing about the bolded, and I've seen it brought up a couple of times - the idea that Thibs "deserves another chance".

This season was the other chance.

Last season they played an inferior Pacers team and fell short in 7 games, in large part due to injury. Missing Anunoby, missing Mitch, shouldn't have even been playing Hart, and everybody exhausted. When they lost in Game 7 last year with the remaining skeleton crew, there was a contingent of fans saying the Knicks need to move on, that these injuries and exhaustion were a product of Thibs' style - and then a larger response from the fans and media that Thibs "deserves another chance" because of all the injuries. The Knicks were the better team, and -265 favorites heading into the series, but injury luck sabotaged Thibs as a coach. "He deserves another chance".

He got it this season. He arrived in the ECF against this same Pacers team - almost exactly the same - only this time he had a healthy Anunoby, healthy Mitch, healthy Hart, and DDV and iHart had been replaced with Mikal Bridges and KAT. The basketball gods handed him the blueprint in Game 1 via foul trouble, and he was so stubbornly dogmatic in his rejection of that gift that he ended up catalyzing a literal 1 in a 1000 odds loss (well, maybe not literally - it was 1 in 972 or something that I don't care to revisit now that he's been fired and we can move on ). A more fortified Knicks team loses as a -155 favorite to the same Pacers team, but in 6 games this time.

This was Thibs' "another chance".

100%

[MrDollarBills]

He's basically f*cking a friend of the grandkids.

I don't see the appeal of dating someone in their early 20s and I'm like 30 something years younger than Bill.

Like some of these women look like little kids still.

Many people in their early 20's are still kids. A few a adults. For a grown man to want someone who is essential a child in a mature body is a problem for both of them, but neither realizes it. So even a smart guy can be really stupid.

Yeah I am gonna leave this topic alone. There are lines that I'm not crossing at my age. I have family members and people i care about who are young. It's not cool

[MrDollarBills]

Listened to bunch of talking heads. Ian Begley was the most informative. The FO didn’t see a conference finals as success. They want a championship. This roster and Thibs maxed out what they can do together. I like the aggressiveness here. Granted it is not a guarantee a different coach can get us to even where we were this year but Thibs wouldn’t guarantee that either. What would have improved with another Thibs season? What would he have done differently next year that he didn’t try this year? The answer is probably nothing. We would continue going through the motions and next year we might not be as lucky with injuries.

Here's the thing about the bolded, and I've seen it brought up a couple of times - the idea that Thibs "deserves another chance".

This season was the other chance.

Last season they played an inferior Pacers team and fell short in 7 games, in large part due to injury. Missing Anunoby, missing Mitch, shouldn't have even been playing Hart, and everybody exhausted. When they lost in Game 7 last year with the remaining skeleton crew, there was a contingent of fans saying the Knicks need to move on, that these injuries and exhaustion were a product of Thibs' style - and then a larger response from the fans and media that Thibs "deserves another chance" because of all the injuries. The Knicks were the better team, and -265 favorites heading into the series, but injury luck sabotaged Thibs as a coach. "He deserves another chance".

He got it this season. He arrived in the ECF against this same Pacers team - almost exactly the same - only this time he had a healthy Anunoby, healthy Mitch, healthy Hart, and DDV and iHart had been replaced with Mikal Bridges and KAT. The basketball gods handed him the blueprint in Game 1 via foul trouble, and he was so stubbornly dogmatic in his rejection of that gift that he ended up catalyzing a literal 1 in a 1000 odds loss (well, maybe not literally - it was 1 in 972 or something that I don't care to revisit now that he's been fired and we can move on ). A more fortified Knicks team loses as a -155 favorite to the same Pacers team, but in 6 games this time.

This was Thibs' "another chance".

100%

I'll take the odds out of it but this is a good theory and assessment

Leon and his team were paying attention

[FrozenEnvelope]

I don't get how some of you can celebrate a man losing his dream job and passion but I'm not surprised.

Be careful what you wish for.

[Adelheid]

when deuce was saying they were getting exposed, he may not be referring to players, but perhaps to the lack of coaching

[Handledatruth]

brunson and KAT played 95% of their minutes with either josh hart, precious or a combination of both on the floor. lmao... that is all you need to know about Thibs approach to this team/offense.

This!

It's so frustrating watching Josh Hart man either trap Brunson or be at KAT's hip while he tried to post up. Josh Hart turned Luke Kornet into a household name. Literally refused to guard him so that they can double our top two players. What does coach do? Play in him 35+ minutes a game.

[whocares1]

Brunson knew...make no mistake...thats why he repeated the question at the post game press conference

Doubt he knew. Seems like a genuine guy. I’m sure Brunson is upset but in the same way like trading someone like Donte, Brunson is committed to the ultimate task of winning a title and all that it comes with.

He knew

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I’m sure he was informed after they made their decision but watching the podcast stuff and seeing how Thibs would just randomly call Jalen all the time, I really don’t think this was Brunson’s idea.

[Worst_to_First]

Good move by Leon, which I am sure was a hard decision for him to make. Our window for a title is shorter than most people would think. OKC is not going anywhere and Wemby will just keep on getting better. Cannot afford to waste another year with Thibs. Wishing Tom the best.

[Handledatruth]

I don't get how some of you can celebrate a man losing his dream job and passion but I'm not surprised.

Be careful what you wish for.

The guy is walking away with 30 million dollars owed to him. Why should we feel sorry. Man if I got fired and was walking away with 10% of that, I would be smiling on my way out. Thibs has my respect, but not my sympathy.

[KnixinSix]

This is why I kept saying - this off season Leon will show me what he's made of...

Smelling the Roses the aroma always seems to be familiar.

What is a familiar fragrance in the air?

Johnnie Bryant

Jaren Jackson Jr

Devin Booker

Donte Divencenzo

Can you believe we actually took a leap without one play off game bro?

Not sure I follow good sir.....

[K_ick_God]

kenny atkinson did worse against indy than we did

Thibs defenders my god.

No he didn't, cavs had multiple injuries.

I mean he did. Cavs were a more talented team on paper and had a worse outcome even before the injuries set in.
KAT was also playing visibly hobbled.

Still love Kenny, one the top coaches in the league with out question. Thibs deserved one more year to see if he could get that ring. Now we won't know.

The expectation for next season is #2 seed in the east or greater. Thibs would have gotten that. Whoever they pick (and they had better already know/have the deal signed) needs to meet that or exceed that.

You can’t do worse than losing a game 1 you’re up 9 with 50 seconds to go and 5 with what should have been 10.

Series score, that’s one thing. That’s not the only way to judge worse or better. Cavs did choke a game but it was different and not coaching.

[whocares1]

I don't get how some of you can celebrate a man losing his dream job and passion but I'm not surprised.

Be careful what you wish for.

I mean for a lot of them being in that profession was their dream at one point or another. I think fans have a right to feel joy bc even tho the team played hard and produced for Thibs, there were many things Thibs should’ve at least experimented with during the regular season that might’ve prevented his inevitable demise.

The Knicks have a talented roster and the regular season was spent playing the starting 5 like it was Game 7 of the Finals. Had he introduced new lineups and they didn’t work we could place the blame on Leon for the lack of depth but as soon as Thibs shifted to opening up his rotation once he was down in the series he was a dead duck. Especially since they actually played well in the biggest moments.

[prophet_of_rage]

Read on Twitter

The firing isn’t shocking but him being completely out of the organization is.

Everybody has forgotten World Wide Wes wanted him out from time. Seems Leon lost this war.

Sent from my SM-S9080 using RealGM mobile app

[Clyde_Style]

Thought he should've gotten another go

If you listen to enough podcasts, there was definitely a lot of "He remembered he had a bench" going on, and you heard it on broadcasts too.


I think the nail in his coffin was how the bench didn't play all season, then he just hurls them into the game when we're down 2-0, and it actually helped.

Probably. But the real nail in the coffin was Game 1. I think he'd still be coaching on Thursday.

I think he lost the job right there and the only thing that could have saved him was winning the series. I don't see how any coach would survive that Game 1. That was malpractice at its finest.

[FrozenEnvelope]

Personally I wouldn't go with an inexperienced candidate like Johnny Bryant. I know rookie coaches have worked out at times but this situation is different. I think we need an experienced coach who has won before and Malone checks a lot of the boxes. Dad Brendan coached here an assistant. Coach Bud fits too but he was pretty bad with the Suns.

Kidd would be interesting and was the runner up to Thibs in 2020 but he signed an extension and would require compensation to get him from Dallas.