A desperate request on Wednesday from one New York Knicks star could be a clear sign that Tom Thibodeau’s job as head coach is on shaky ground.
The New York Knicks head into Saturday’s final matchup of a massive six-game West coast trip with some positive vibes. The trip started off poorly with three straight losses. However, the team has rebounded in recent days, including a buzzer beater win over the Portland Trail Blazers in overtime on Wednesday.
New York Knicks record (2024-25): 41-23
Overall this has been a very good season for the club. They own the third best record in the East and fourth best in the NBA overall. But the last month has also put the team’s weaknesses on full display. Despite having a head coach whose trademark has always been elite defense, they have struggled all year on that side of the ball. They continue to come up short in matchups with elite teams, and now injuries are starting to pile up.
The last point may be why guard Mikal Bridges made a bold decision before their game on Wednesday. Bridges revealed that he had a sit down with Thibodeau and asked him to pull back on the heavy minutes he is giving his starters. And rely more on the team’s bench. It is a problem the coach has had throughout his career. And may put his job in danger if the team disappoints in this year’s playoffs.
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Could Tom Thibodeau be fired if New York Knicks don’t reach 2025 Eastern Conference Finals?
Thibodeau is one of the most respected head coaches in the NBA today. He has a .580 win percentage for his career and put together some NBA Finals contenders in Chicago and New York. However, there has always been one huge knock against the coach: He runs his starters into the ground during the regular season. Many long-time Bulls fans wonder if the elite teams he coached in the 2010s could have reached the finals if their top stars didn’t seem so tired in the playoffs.
It also seemed apparent during the New York Knicks playoff run last season. Injuries piled up late in the season and during the playoffs. And despite being a clearly better team than the Indiana Pacers, they just could not hold up and were ousted in the semifinals again. For a player to request less minutes when the strategy has worked during the season says a lot about the problem.
Tom Thibodeau record (Career): 568-412
This is team president Leon Rose and his staff’s final plan. They no longer have a boatload of draft picks and the chance to go get another star in the summer. A ton of money and assets are invested in this group. They need to make the East Finals at the very least or heads will roll. Sure, players could be moved but they rarely take the blame for failure. It will be on Thibodeau.
If there is a belief that his career-long habit of overplaying his starters again played a role in a second round elimination, questions will be asked. While he received a three-year extension this past summer, that won’t stop the team from making a move if they feel the coach that could never get over the Finals appearance hump still can’t now.
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