After five eventful seasons at the helm, the New York Knicks have officially parted ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau. The move comes as a surprise to many, especially considering that Thibodeau had just guided the team to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. Despite this achievement, behind-the-scenes developments reportedly played a major role in his unexpected dismissal.
On Wednesday’s episode of Get Up, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst dropped a major revelation that shed light on the potential reason behind Thibodeau’s exit. According to Windhorst, it was the coach’s dramatic adjustments during the Eastern Conference Finals that may have sealed his fate.
“What Tom Thibodeau did to his coaching strategy during the Eastern Conference finals might’ve assured his firing. What I mean by that is after falling down 2-0 in that series, he made a whole bunch of changes,” Windhorst said.
"What Tom Thibodeau did to his coaching strategy during the Eastern Conference finals might've assured his firing."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 4, 2025
—@WindhorstESPN pic.twitter.com/cwTgHAGgBT
“He changed his starting lineup. Then he extended multiple players into his bench— something that players, team personnel, and people across the league had been begging him to do for months. He also changed some of his strategies within the coaching of the game, and it worked,” he added.
Despite the messy end, Thibodeau’s resume in New York is nothing to overlook. Over five seasons, he amassed a 226–174 record, led the team to the playoffs four times, and helped break a decades-long drought with a conference finals run.
Josh Hart Pays Heartfelt Tribute To Tom Thibodeau
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Though top players played a role in Tom Thibodeau’s firing, Thibodeau’s impact wasn’t lost on the players. After the firing, Knicks guard Josh Hart took to social media to express his gratitude in a brief but emotional message on X.
“Forever Grateful 🧡💙 Thank You!” Hart wrote.
When Thibodeau took over the Knicks, the franchise was mired in losing seasons and fan frustration. His disciplined approach and defensive mindset helped restore the team’s competitiveness and identity.
Also Read: Dan Hurley Finally Addresses Knicks Coaching Speculation Following Tom Thibodeau’s Exit
