That\u2019s credit to the players, but Brown has done a great job throughout his first year in charge. Ahead of Wednesday’s Game 1, now is a good time to take a walk down memory lane and assess why the move away from Thibodeau worked this quickly.<\/p>\n
Why the Knicks decided to move on from Tom Thibodeau![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/01kt0hdrdx0jwnrw23pp.jpg\" "\\"Tom")
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Tom Thibodeau coached the Knicks for five seasons | Brad Penner-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
The prevailing sentiment surrounding Thibodeau\u2019s missteps was that he was too stuck in his ways. He was reluctant to adjust his rotations, which meant fewer opportunities for young players, and he played his starters too long, prompting injury and conditioning concerns.<\/p>\n
And although the coach led the franchise to heights it hadn\u2019t seen in 25 years, the Knicks felt the team needed a new voice to help it win a championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,\u201d president Leon Rose said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cThis pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction. 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.\u201d<\/p>\n The sudden firing was a shocking move, but Rose clearly felt that Thibodeau wasn\u2019t the right coach to lead the franchise to its first title since 1973. Following his departure, ESPN\u2019s Ramona Shelbourne reported<\/a> that replacing Thibodeau was in the works for months prior to his sacking, seeing as the team wasn\u2019t maximizing its talent. Rose met with several key players and members of the coaching staff after the Eastern Conference finals loss to the Pacers and it was clear to him that the organization needed a new voice after those meetings, per ESPN and Shelbourne<\/a>.<\/p>\n Thibodeau went 226\u2013174 and made four playoff appearances over his five seasons at the head of the Knicks\u2019 bench. But, at the end of the day, it was NBA Finals or bust after the all-in moves for Towns and Bridges.<\/p>\n What has changed for the Knicks with Mike Brown in charge? Mike Brown has the Knicks in the NBA Finals in his first year on the job | David Richard-Imagn Images<\/p>\n In the first year with Brown at the helm, the Knicks have a better offensive rating, defensive rating and net rating compared to a season ago under Thibodeau. This year\u2019s Knicks finished with the third seed in the Eastern Conference; the same result as last season, but with two more wins in what was a surprisingly competitive battle with the emergence of the Pistons and the continued success of the Celtics.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a breakdown of where this year\u2019s Knicks were at statistically under Brown compared to a season ago with Thibodeau in command.<\/p>\n Stat<\/p>\n 2025\u201326 Knicks (under Mike Brown)<\/p>\n 2024\u201325 Knicks (under Tom Thibodeau<\/p>\n Offensive rating<\/p>\n 118.7 (fourth in NBA)<\/p>\n 117.3 (fifth in NBA)<\/p>\n Defensive rating<\/p>\n 112.3 (seventh in NBA)<\/p>\n 113.3 (13th in NBA)<\/p>\n Net rating<\/p>\n 6.4 (fifth in NBA)<\/p>\n 4.0 (eighth in NBA)<\/p>\n Record<\/p>\n 53\u201329 (third in East)<\/p>\n 51\u201331 (third in East)<\/p>\n The improvements may appear minor, but they\u2019re significant. Last year, under Thibodeau, Brunson, Towns, Anunoby, Bridges and Hart played 35.0 minutes per game or more over the regular season, with Hart playing a team-high 37.6 minutes a night. This year, no player went above 35.0 minutes per game, though Brunson hit that mark on the nose. Hart played seven fewer minutes per game and Anunoby went down from 36.6 minutes per game to 33.2. The decreased workload trend has continued into the postseason, too. Anunoby and Hart went down from 39.2 minutes per game apiece in last year\u2019s playoff run to less than 34.0 minutes each game thus far over the current run.<\/p>\n The manner in which this year\u2019s Knicks are beating the brakes off their opponents in the playoffs has certainly helped that cause, but lesser workloads for each core member began from the moment Brown stepped through the door. Now, the Knicks are in the midst of the franchise\u2019s best playoff run in decades and have maintained fresh legs in the process.<\/p>\n Rose made a big gamble when he decided to let go of Thibodeau. After a trip to the Eastern Conference finals last season, anything but a trip to the NBA Finals this year could have raised questions. However, the Knicks have answered loud and clear, just four wins away from a title in Brown\u2019s first year.<\/p>\n More NBA Finals From Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n Listen to SI\u2019s NBA podcast,\u00a0Open Floor, below or on\u00a0Apple<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Spotify<\/a>. Watch the show on\u00a0SI\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Mike](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/01kt2w2k90tdhmk0g4n9.jpg\" "\\"Mike")
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