This week, the New York Knicks surprised the NBA world by parting ways with Head Coach Tom Thibodeau. The move came three days after the team’s heartbreaking elimination from the Eastern Conference finals. Thibodeau’s five-year run is over, but he leaves behind a much stronger team than the one he inherited.
Before he arrived in 2020, the Knicks were stuck in one of the league’s worst stretches. Between 2013 and 2020, they had a .309 win percentage and didn’t make the playoffs once. The team lacked structure, direction, and star power. But that changed when Thibodeau took over.
Thank you, Coach Thibodeau. pic.twitter.com/bInhvWtxPI
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 3, 2025
In five seasons, Thibodeau helped reshape the Knicks into a playoff regular. The team posted a 56.5% win rate, the eighth-best in the NBA at the time. They made four playoff appearances, and most importantly, his discipline and identity led the team in a new direction.
Tom Thibodeau Ends Tenure On A High Note
This past season was one of the most successful. The Knicks went 51-31, finished third in the Eastern Conference, and made a strong run to the Conference finals before falling to the Pacers in six games. It was the team’s deepest playoff run in over twenty years.
Thibodeau did have criticism. Some questioned his strict rotations and the heavy workload he placed on stars like Jalen Brunson. Following the Knicks’ Game 6 elimination from the East Final Series, Thibodeau faced intense criticism, being questioned on his leadership strategy and Basketball IQ. Still, his impact on the team’s mindset, defense, and overall culture was visible. He did not just improve the win column; he changed the tone of the organization.
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As the Knicks search for a new coach and potential superstar additions, they do so with a solid foundation built under Thibodeau’s leadership. His tenure was not perfect, but it was unquestionably successful. He helped turn a struggling franchise into a team that now expects to compete, and that’s a big achievement.
