The New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau on Monday, days after the team’s season ended with a loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Thibodeau, 66, had led the Knicks to four playoff appearances in five seasons, including their deepest postseason run since 2000. But despite going all-in last summer to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, New York fell short of its championship expectations.
The Knicks finished the regular season as the East’s No. 3 seed and beat Detroit and Boston to reach the conference finals. They held home-court advantage but dropped the first two games of the Indiana series at Madison Square Garden and never recovered, losing the series in six.
The New York Knicks have relieved Tom Thibodeau of his head coaching duties, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/zp8VCjdlyb
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 3, 2025
Thibodeau’s rotations, minutes distribution, and in-game adjustments came under scrutiny throughout the postseason. The starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Towns — the most-used unit in the NBA this season — was outscored by 31 points in the playoffs. That group played nearly 1,900 regular-season minutes together, while the same unit with Deuce McBride in Hart’s place logged just 82. Despite internal discussions about changes, including suggestions from Hart, Thibodeau stuck with the group until late in the series.
Why the Knicks Fell Short Despite Major Offseason Additions
Bridges, acquired from Brooklyn in a deal that cost six first-round picks, a swap, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, had his worst 3-point shooting season since his rookie year and struggled defensively. Towns provided efficient scoring but was a liability in pick-and-roll coverage. Opposing teams often parked their centers on Hart to muck up spacing and help at the rim, limiting the Knicks’ ability to run actions between Brunson and Towns.
Thibodeau made adjustments late in the Pacers series, turning to reserves Landry Shamet and Delon Wright, but the damage was done. Game 1 — when New York blew a nine-point lead in the final minute — set the tone for a series defined by missed opportunities.
The Knicks entered the postseason with legitimate championship hopes. With the 64-win Cavaliers eliminated on the opposite side of the bracket and the Celtics upset in the second round, the path to the Finals appeared wide open. Instead, New York dropped four of its final five games and exited at home in Game 6.
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Tom Thibodeau’s Impact on the New York Knicks
Thibodeau was hired in 2020 by team president Leon Rose to bring stability to a franchise that had missed the playoffs seven straight years. He won NBA Coach of the Year in his first season, guiding the Knicks to a 41-31 record as a No. 4 seed. They missed the postseason in 2022, but returned the following year after signing Brunson in free agency and acquiring Anunoby midseason.
Thibodeau helped the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years, made the playoffs in four of his five years, and led the team to consecutive 50-win seasons for the first time since the 1990s. His tenure restored regular season credibility to the franchise but consistently fell short of the ultimate goal.
Thibodeau finishes his Knicks tenure with a 226-174 regular-season record and 24-23 in the playoffs. He ranks fourth in wins among head coaches in franchise history, trailing Red Holzman, Joe Lapchick and Jeff Van Gundy.
“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction,” said Knicks president Leon Rose. “We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories. Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
The Knicks now begin their search for the 32nd head coach in team history. With Brunson under contract, a deep front office, and a roster built to win now, the job is expected to be one of the most attractive openings of the offseason. But the expectations will be clear. Thibodeau was six wins short of delivering a title. His replacement will be expected to close that gap.
The Knicks are singularly focused on their pursuit of a championship and believe a new voice will serve as the focus for the organization’s next step, sources said. As the front office evaluates additional changes this summer — including mounting speculation around a potential Towns trade — the team is aiming to reset around a core that can finish the job Thibodeau started.
