Uncovering the Real Reasons Behind Tom Thibodeau's Firing: Tactical Philosophy Clashes with Team Ros

The New York Knicks officially announced the firing of head coach Tom Thibodeau, despite him leading the team through its most successful season since 1998-99. There's no denying Thibodeau breathed new life into the Knicks, with the clearest evidence being a simple fact: before his arrival, the Knicks had missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons, one of the darkest periods in team history. But when Thibodeau took over, everything changed. Why did the Knicks still fire him? Basketnews uncovered the reasons—

In Thibodeau's five seasons as coach, the Knicks made the playoffs four times—losing in the first round once, reaching the conference semifinals twice, and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals this season. He turned the team into an Eastern Conference powerhouse. Thibodeau is known for his unique style—whether in on-court tactical approaches, high-intensity training methods, or collaboration with assistant coaches.

It's widely known that working with Thibodeau is one of the most challenging experiences in the NBA—not because he's a bad coach (he's actually highly talented), but because he's a perfectionist who demands round-the-clock dedication. From scouting to training, Thibodeau is always meticulous. This focus and commitment are part of why results were achieved. His old-school mindset and work ethic were exactly what the Knicks needed to get back on track.

But just as his methods had many advantages, they also had serious flaws. One of the biggest criticisms Thibodeau faced throughout his career was his extremely low trust in bench players. He used an extremely short rotation, relying heavily on starters and often playing them outrageously long minutes.

This was a major topic in the 2024-25 season, especially regarding minutes for players like Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. The numbers speak for themselves: Hart led the league with 37.6 minutes per game this season, Bridges ranked third with 37.0 minutes, and OG Anunoby fifth with 36.6 minutes. This means the Knicks had three players in the NBA's top five in minutes per game—an incredible and somewhat worrying statistic.

Naturally, this became a constant media discussion. Players were often asked about their minutes, putting them in an awkward position of possibly publicly requesting rest. This led Bridges to make a telling comment, openly stating: "As a coach, you want that [to play more], but we also talked to him because we know we have a good enough team where our bench players can step in. We don't need to play 48 or 47 minutes. We have a lot of good players who can share the minutes. It helps on defense, helps on offense, helps get tired bodies off the court to avoid giving up all those points. It helps keep guys fresh."

It's rare for players to ask for fewer minutes; usually, it's the opposite—players publicly complaining about insufficient playing time. This was one of the core issues with Thibodeau's coaching approach. Of course, the Knicks' bench wasn't exactly elite, so to some extent, his perspective was understandable.

But having three starters rank in the top five in league minutes is extreme, raising questions not only about player fatigue but also injury risk, playoff stamina, and overall game management.

However, this wasn't the only issue associated with Thibodeau and the Knicks, especially when considering the big picture and the team's long-term ambitions. One of the most pressing issues was roster construction.

The Knicks were built in a way that didn't fully align with Thibodeau's defense-first philosophy. While the Knicks did have defensive potential, they were primarily an offensive team, especially with the duo of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, who were far from defensive stalwarts.

Thibodeau found himself coaching a roster that didn't match his style. Hailed as one of the league's best defensive coaches, he had two core players at point guard and center—positions crucial to any defense—who weren't defense-oriented.

For example, Towns struggled immensely in pick-and-roll defense due to slow lateral movement. Opponents often targeted him in pick-and-rolls, forcing switches and exploiting his limitations. Brunson, despite being excellent at drawing charges, had similar defensive flaws, often becoming a liability in one-on-one situations due to a lack of lateral speed.

Now, this mismatch didn't necessarily mean doom. A great defensive coach can adapt to his roster and still find ways to win, and statistically, the Knicks were one of the league's best offensive teams—proof that Thibodeau adjusted to some extent.

But the Knicks' offense wasn't entirely fluid. At times, it lacked vitality, relied heavily on Brunson's isolation plays, had limited ball movement, often marginalizing other contributors and diminishing Towns' impact.

The Knicks' offensive playbook certainly included some clever tactics, but a large portion of their offense ran through Brunson, which was understandable to some extent—he's one of the NBA's best offensive players. But the overall lack of fluidity affected the team's rhythm. In fact, the Knicks sometimes performed better when Brunson was off the court, a shocking reality that reflected more on Thibodeau's system than on Brunson himself.

This was the real problem. Despite all the good Thibodeau did—revitalizing a struggling team, establishing a winning culture, and bringing the Knicks back into the spotlight—it was clear that this specific group of players might need a different type of coach, one with a different style not only in minute management but also in how to utilize their best players. This was something Thibodeau wasn't willing—or perhaps even able—to change.

Another example highlighting the potential weakness of Thibodeau's coaching approach was the way Towns was used throughout the season and the struggles he faced.

Anyone who closely followed the Knicks in the regular season and playoffs likely noticed a recurring pattern: Towns was often defended by 明显 shorter wing players. This wasn't random—it was a deliberate tactic designed to counter his dominance in pick-and-roll situations, especially in pick-and-pop actions. By having a wing defend him and adhering to a strict heavy-switching strategy, defenders were instructed not to leave him under any circumstances. Every screen triggered an immediate switch to prevent creating any advantage, especially those that would allow Towns to pop out for a three-point shot.

This strategy was particularly evident in the regular-season game against the Thunder. Despite playing 42 minutes, Towns didn't attempt a single three-pointer. Why? The Thunder used exactly this tactic—having their wings stick tightly to him, preventing him from getting any needed space for long-range shots. This defensive strategy disrupted the Knicks' offense throughout the season.

This is where criticism of Thibodeau became valid. He failed to find reliable offensive solutions to fully utilize a player many consider one of the greatest shooting big men in basketball history. The inability to creatively counter a rather predictable defensive strategy was one of the factors holding the team back and why, despite all his achievements, his firing wasn't as surprising as it initially seemed.

Based on the above situation, the Knicks decided to part ways with Thibodeau. Knicks reporter Bondy reported that the decision to fire Thibodeau was made by President of Basketball Operations Leon Rose and supported by team owner James Dolan. Thibodeau had just signed a contract extension with the Knicks last July, which according to New York media was a three-year, $30 million deal. Although he was fired, he will still receive the full $30 million.