Official Knicks Coaching Search Thread pt. 2 (update: poll added 6/18/25)

[NoStatsGuy]

Have our Mariano Rivera defensive closer out there in the final 5-6 minutes up 15 of game 1 instead of one of Brunson or KAT and its a total different story.

You don't put one of your most defensively deficient lineups on the floor just because they are your best offensive guys when you are up 15 late in the 4th quarter vs an offensively explosive team.

That is a fatal coaching flaw.

yea, valid points. But Mitch was effectively being hacked before. he is and always will be a liability late in games with his FT Shooting. And thibs did bring in defenders and subbed out brunson and kat whenever he had the chance, especially later in the game for defensive posessions.
imo there is no excuse for the players to lose that game, even if i had coached them.

thibs did not coach a perfect game, thats not what im trying to say. just to be clear

Not in the last 5 minutes of that game he didnt. Wright could have been in instead of Brunson. Achiuwa could have been in instead of KAT. He pretty much rode his starting lineup which was getting LIT ALL GAME to close it out.

I screamed it out right when he brought in both KAT/Brunson at the end. They JUST built a big lead with their better defensive lineup out there. I was freaking out , WHY WHY WHY?!!!!

im pretty sure he subbed in deuce multiple times for brunson in the last 1-2 minutes.

but yea my point was more about how close we really were. and imo that collaps is most definitley on the players. that was an unlosable game.

[KnixinSix]

yea, valid points. But Mitch was effectively being hacked before. he is and always will be a liability late in games with his FT Shooting. And thibs did bring in defenders and subbed out brunson and kat whenever he had the chance, especially later in the game for defensive posessions.
imo there is no excuse for the players to lose that game, even if i had coached them.

thibs did not coach a perfect game, thats not what im trying to say. just to be clear

Not in the last 5 minutes of that game he didnt. Wright could have been in instead of Brunson. Achiuwa could have been in instead of KAT. He pretty much rode his starting lineup which was getting LIT ALL GAME to close it out.

I screamed it out right when he brought in both KAT/Brunson at the end. They JUST built a big lead with their better defensive lineup out there. I was freaking out , WHY WHY WHY?!!!!

im pretty sure he subbed in deuce multiple times for brunson in the last 1-2 minutes.

but yea my point was more about how close we really were. and imo that collaps is most definitley on the players. that was an unlosable game.

Waaaaaaay waaaaay too late. Bottomline there were many many permutations of lineups he could have chosen which would have been infinitely more appropriate given the time left and the situation. He literally chose the worst. I said it at the time as well. This isn't revisionist history.

[KnixinSix]

yea, valid points. But Mitch was effectively being hacked before. he is and always will be a liability late in games with his FT Shooting. And thibs did bring in defenders and subbed out brunson and kat whenever he had the chance, especially later in the game for defensive posessions.
imo there is no excuse for the players to lose that game, even if i had coached them.

thibs did not coach a perfect game, thats not what im trying to say. just to be clear

Not in the last 5 minutes of that game he didnt. Wright could have been in instead of Brunson. Achiuwa could have been in instead of KAT. He pretty much rode his starting lineup which was getting LIT ALL GAME to close it out.

I screamed it out right when he brought in both KAT/Brunson at the end. They JUST built a big lead with their better defensive lineup out there. I was freaking out , WHY WHY WHY?!!!!

im pretty sure he subbed in deuce multiple times for brunson in the last 1-2 minutes.

but yea my point was more about how close we really were. and imo that collaps is most definitley on the players. that was an unlosable game.

Its not 100% on the players thats unfair. More appropriate lineups out there would have changed that outcome.

[NoStatsGuy]

Not in the last 5 minutes of that game he didnt. Wright could have been in instead of Brunson. Achiuwa could have been in instead of KAT. He pretty much rode his starting lineup which was getting LIT ALL GAME to close it out.

I screamed it out right when he brought in both KAT/Brunson at the end. They JUST built a big lead with their better defensive lineup out there. I was freaking out , WHY WHY WHY?!!!!

im pretty sure he subbed in deuce multiple times for brunson in the last 1-2 minutes.

but yea my point was more about how close we really were. and imo that collaps is most definitley on the players. that was an unlosable game.

Its not 100% on the players thats unfair. More appropriate lineups out there would have changed that outcome.

yea he definitley could have done better dmg control when he saw the players are choking.

im sure you have played ball yourself. i have played a lot of basketball in my life. and i can tell you for certain, it is really hard to lose a game up 9 with 50 seconds left on the clock. regardless who is coaching that game.

[3toheadmelo]

Read on Twitter

[F N 11]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=W09F6FrMDfp5_y1gKYgF1g

Wow Austin absolutely obliterates the Knicks here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a good look at all for Leon and co!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like Leon been watching too much Sopranos. Thibs got no filter tho… “hey happy to have you, I wanted Derrick tho, but you’ll be ok” You can’t make this shyt up lol

I wonder if that was Thibs attempt at humor (even if it was true). Based on how he tells the story no, but maybe he just took it the wrong way lol

Insane I thought he was good enough to play didn’t get it. Thibs has his favorites point blank period.

[F N 11]

Josh just loves Thibs because he's the only NBA coach in the league that would allow him to be a starter for the entire year and playoffs. 5 turnovers in a quarter...No big deal Josh Stay in the game!

This!!

I saw that Josh tweet and got pissed like stfu. Then they still do a pod I didn’t watch I’m tired of the talking.

[F N 11]

Mike Brown would be a nightmare. Dude can’t keep a job. He does have modern concepts I give him that but every stop he pisses someone off and gets fired.

[3toheadmelo]

Jenkins to me still has upside as a coach even with his flaws.

Mike brown seems like a dead end.

[GONYK]

The roster is good enough that the coach's philosophy isn't as important as their ability to collaborate, communicate and adjust in order to maximize.

He will be judged on how he adapts to the roster, not whether or not the roster fits his style.

[TKKnicks1]

Jenkins to me still has upside as a coach even with his flaws.

Mike brown seems like a dead end.

100% agree. Mike Brown is a step backwards. Get a young guy that can develop our bench. If anything the NBA finals is proving how important depth and bench play is. I'm high on Jenkins or Bryant. Everyone else can kick dirt.

[VirginiaKnickFan]

Mike Brown would be a nightmare. Dude can’t keep a job. He does have modern concepts I give him that but every stop he pisses someone off and gets fired.

Mike Brown would be a Steve Mills kind of choice.

[Gravy]

We are talking about Thibs getting out coached at the end of game 1. Can we picture Jenkins or Brown out coaching Carlisle, Diegnault, Atkinson, Spo, Finch, Mazzula in a tight playoff game? Which candidate would be better at that

[LookToShoot]

lol Jenkins, you guys are funny.

They should give Vogel a look. He was unfairly fired from his last two jobs because he was dealing with lazy players who don’t like to play defense.

[Fury]

lol Jenkins, you guys are funny.

They should give Vogel a look. He was unfairly fired from his last two jobs because he was dealing with lazy players who don’t like to play defense.

What’s the downside to Jenkins and does it outweigh the positives?

[3toheadmelo]

We are talking about Thibs getting out coached at the end of game 1. Can we picture Jenkins or Brown out coaching Carlisle, Diegnault, Atkinson, Spo, Finch, Mazzula in a tight playoff game? Which candidate would be better at that

Mike Brown has extensive playoff experience to his credit.. but his experience comes from over 20 years ago when LeBron was on the Cavs in his first stint. The game has changed massively since then. Since Mike brown has came back as a head coach , he has only made the playoffs once in the past 3 seasons and it was a first round exit.

Jenkins is still a fairly new coach and one of his issues is that he hasn’t been able to get over the hump in the playoffs. But he has been to the second round recently.

To answer your question, idk. One coach’s experience is from over 20 years ago and hasn’t been that great since coming back as a head coach, the other coach is still new. Thats the risk of firing Thibs cause we’re taking quite a gamble…

[RHODEY]

I heard that Mike Brown is a really nice guy, maybe thats why he is a top candidate? lol

Mike Brown is not a nice guy. He's professional but he will cuss you out all the same.

Nice but not a pushover like Fizdale.

[FrozenEnvelope]

One thing is for certain. There is no perfect candidate. All these coaches come with question marks.

[FrozenEnvelope]

I think y'all are being too hard on Mike Brown. At 55 he has a really good resume! All coaches get fired multiple times if they stick around long enough. It's part of the career. I'd look at his highs and they are really impressive. He turned around the Kings! That's like almost impossible!

[3toheadmelo]

I think y'all are being too hard on Mike Brown. At 55 he has a really good resume! All coaches get fired multiple times if they stick around long enough. It's part of the career. I'd look at his highs and they are really impressive. He turned around the Kings! That's like almost impossible!

He turned them around only for one year it seems. The kings were 13-18 when they fired him.