Shams: New York Knicks Fire Head Coach Tom Thibodeau

[Marvin Martian]

IMO the Knicks will regret this move. The Knicks killed their depth and Thibs is being blamed for it

[Optms]

Etc., etc. Yeah, bUt wE hAvE No GoOd PlAyErS!!!

Here's the thing: when Brunson was out (and Robinson still unsteady), we were forced to go to a freer 5-out offense and use our bench...and after a week of growing pains...suddenly we started to play well again. Very well.

And then Brunson came back, Robinson got fully healthy...and we went back to the very predictable offensive sets (basically hero-ball with Brunson and KAT...).

So yeah, I think there's some room remaining for further tinkering....

I'll check back with you next year when the Knicks become a play-in team.

You do that. FYI, though, I'm 3-0 in these little bets. Want to see if I get to 4-0? (Need to wait until I see who we hire though.)

I expect the Knicks to win 70 games and become a dynasty, just like the team you're comparing them too. In reality Knicks will go backwards, not forward. Prepare to take the L. Brunson is no Curry. There are no splash bros on your team.

[taikibansei]

Knicks should trade a FRP for Doc.

If Doc becomes our next coach, I will indeed riot.

[cpower]

Bruson -26 in the series and let's blame the coach. Lol

[basketballwacko2]

Been a staunch Thibs defender here since his Twolves days and thought he did a good job this past season. We need better than good, though. We need somebody willing/able to completely re-envision this team on offense and on defense. Three high-level defenders in the starting five and two on the bench, plus two high-level scorers in the starting five and three others able to step up at any given time--that said, the parts never worked together smoothly, and our bench seemed consistently lost.

As I've posted before, Thibs was our Mark Jackson. Here's hoping we find our Steve Kerr--the young, hungry coach who sees a way to make all the parts fit in a new way.

You realize the two situations aren't remotely the same? For starters, there is no Steph Curry on the Knicks. And simply there is no more that you can squeeze out of this roster as currently constructed. They exceeded expectations and were 2 wins away from the Finals.

Firing Thibs has massive repercussions and for what? No coach will get more out of this roster than an ECF next year. What is the goal here?

Etc., etc. Yeah, bUt wE hAvE No GoOd PlAyErS!!!

Here's the thing: when Brunson was out (and Robinson still unsteady), we were forced to go to a freer 5-out offense and use our bench...and after a week of growing pains...suddenly we started to play well again. Very well.

And then Brunson came back, Robinson got fully healthy...and we went back to the very predictable offensive sets (basically hero-ball with Brunson and KAT...) that helped lose us this latest series.

So yeah, I think there's some room remaining for further tinkering....

Makes you wonder how the Pacers beat them!

[Optms]

Knicks gonna Knick

[Sixers in 4]

I hate this. Yes, the way he refused to take players out of the game reached the point of absurdity, and yes there are potentially better options. But the Knicks exceeded expectations this year. Firing a coach who JUST lost in the Conference Finals when the team was not expected to even make it is crazy. Adding to that it could have very realistically gone the other way if not for a crazy sequence and miracle shot. The victory over Boston should have bought him another year.

I mean he’s been out coached by Spo and Carlisle enough times over his career I could see why the FO made a decision. The crazy part is this is like the second time him dealing with KAT got him fired.

Spo and Carlisle are the best coaches in the NBA right now. That is like saying we need to fire Andy Reid because he isn't Bill B well we did and for a long time we paid the price.

Thibs is a top tier coach in this league and the Knicks are going to struggle to find someone better.

[CIN-C-STAR]

Why are people saying “he was out coached by Carlisle!!” like that is reason enough to fire him?
Spo has been out coached by Carlisle. Pop has been outcoached by Carlisle. Carlisle is arguable a top-15 coach in NBA history.
I’m not saying it’s the wrong move (would depend on his replacement and if they already have that person lined up imo), but getting outcoached by Carlisle isn’t some massive stain on his resume imo.

[JujitsuFlip]

Probably Johnnie Bryant, makes too much sense.

[Repeat 3-peat]

Fired the coach that just got them to the Conference Finals for the first time since 99' smh.

Actually 2000.

But, yes, this was a bad move.

Typical Knicks FO move.

Oh yes I forgot. Fixed, Thanks.

[JohnnyKILLroy]

KAT got him fired. if KAT was a decent defender they’re in the finals.

[WargamesX]

I hate this. Yes, the way he refused to take players out of the game reached the point of absurdity, and yes there are potentially better options. But the Knicks exceeded expectations this year. Firing a coach who JUST lost in the Conference Finals when the team was not expected to even make it is crazy. Adding to that it could have very realistically gone the other way if not for a crazy sequence and miracle shot. The victory over Boston should have bought him another year.

I mean he’s been out coached by Spo and Carlisle enough times over his career I could see why the FO made a decision. The crazy part is this is like the second time him dealing with KAT got him fired.

Spo and Carlisle are the best coaches in the NBA right now. That is like saying we need to fire Andy Reid because he isn't Bill B well we did and for a long time we paid the price.

Thibs is a top tier coach in this league and the Knicks are going to struggle to find someone better.

That isn’t good enough. Not when you are in a zero sum industry. Either Thibs gets better or he isn’t good enough.

[Butch718]

"Only" the ECF? I think they're standards are just a tad too high

Their FO has been iffy for decades.
Pretty disappointing they'd do this.

Weird.

Poor Knicks fans.

No, a lot of Knick fans actually agree with decision.

All people are looking at is the record that Thibs had when he was here. But, Thibs has been out-coached in every series they have lost the past 3 years. The mistakes he made in the Pacers series were unacceptable.

His offensive and defensive schemes have been really bad. This roster has flaws, but Thibs did everything in his power to not maximize the strengths and talents of the players on this team. The offense was basically let Brunson bail them out, and have KAT run isos from all the way out in perimeter. He forced lineups that didn’t work, and refused to play lineups with actual synergy for extended periods of time. His defensive schemes resorted to drop coverage, which badly burned them the entire year.

People who are saying this is terrible, didn’t watch every game closely like us die hards did. Thibs is the Buck Showalter of coaches. He makes your organization respectable again, but will never take a team to the next level.

[WargamesX]

KAT got him fired. if KAT was a decent defender they’re in the finals.

KAT didn’t make Thibs over play the starting five and build no role for any of the roleplayers.

[taikibansei]

I'll check back with you next year when the Knicks become a play-in team.

You do that. FYI, though, I'm 3-0 in these little bets. Want to see if I get to 4-0? (Need to wait until I see who we hire though.)

I expect the Knicks to win 70 games and become a dynasty, just like the team you're comparing them too. In reality Knicks will go backwards, not forward. Prepare to take the L. Brunson is no Curry. There are no splash bros on your team.

Thanks for making my point. While the splash brothers also technically played for Jackson, they only became a thing thanks to Kerr moving the team on from traditional roles, really seeing the unique make-up of his team, and going all in on making opposing teams play to the Warriors' strengths.

That's what the Knicks need in a new coach.

[Sixers in 4]

I mean he’s been out coached by Spo and Carlisle enough times over his career I could see why the FO made a decision. The crazy part is this is like the second time him dealing with KAT got him fired.

Spo and Carlisle are the best coaches in the NBA right now. That is like saying we need to fire Andy Reid because he isn't Bill B well we did and for a long time we paid the price.

Thibs is a top tier coach in this league and the Knicks are going to struggle to find someone better.

That isn’t good enough. Not when you are in a zero sum industry. Either Thibs gets better or he isn’t good enough.

He's plenty good enough and knicks fans are about to find out the grass isn't always greener.

[taikibansei]

You realize the two situations aren't remotely the same? For starters, there is no Steph Curry on the Knicks. And simply there is no more that you can squeeze out of this roster as currently constructed. They exceeded expectations and were 2 wins away from the Finals.

Firing Thibs has massive repercussions and for what? No coach will get more out of this roster than an ECF next year. What is the goal here?

Etc., etc. Yeah, bUt wE hAvE No GoOd PlAyErS!!!

Here's the thing: when Brunson was out (and Robinson still unsteady), we were forced to go to a freer 5-out offense and use our bench...and after a week of growing pains...suddenly we started to play well again. Very well.

And then Brunson came back, Robinson got fully healthy...and we went back to the very predictable offensive sets (basically hero-ball with Brunson and KAT...) that helped lose us this latest series.

So yeah, I think there's some room remaining for further tinkering....

Makes you wonder how the Pacers beat them!

Hence the coaching change.

[WargamesX]

Spo and Carlisle are the best coaches in the NBA right now. That is like saying we need to fire Andy Reid because he isn't Bill B well we did and for a long time we paid the price.

Thibs is a top tier coach in this league and the Knicks are going to struggle to find someone better.

That isn’t good enough. Not when you are in a zero sum industry. Either Thibs gets better or he isn’t good enough.

He's plenty good enough and knicks fans are about to find out the grass isn't always greener.

You don’t even know who the replacement is….

[Knicks365247]

1. Dolan definitely axed him. I wonder how Leon Rose feels about this since he and Thibs were reportedly close.
2. I do not want Monty (I think he sucked on purpose to get fired and collect checks from Detroit), Vogel (he doesn’t impress me at all), nor Mike Malone (I think he gets too emotional and isn’t a very good coach).
3. Budenholzer probably makes sense. I wouldn’t mind him.

[Optms]

KAT got him fired. if KAT was a decent defender they’re in the finals.

They're blowing it up next summer once they go nowhere.

KAT is charmin soft and its astonishing they managed to get by Boston with him. He won't be a Knick come 2026-2027. Book it.