Detailed Summary of "Hoops Tonight - Why Tom Thibodeau DESERVED to be Fired by Knicks"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Episode: Hoops Tonight - Why Tom Thibodeau DESERVED to be fired by Knicks
• Release Date: June 5, 2025

Introduction

In the episode titled "Hoops Tonight - Why Tom Thibodeau DESERVED to be Fired by Knicks," hosted by Jason on Hoops Tonight at The Volume, the discussion centers around the recent firing of Tom Thibodeau as the head coach of the New York Knicks. Jason delves deep into the team's performance, analyzing the underlying issues that led to this significant coaching change. The episode aims to provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the Knicks' season, highlighting both managerial and player-related factors.

Knicks' Season Performance and Ultimate Goal

Jason begins by contextualizing the Knicks' ambitions:

"The Knicks are trying to win an NBA championship. They view their defeat in the conference finals as a failure." [03:15]

Despite reaching the conference finals for the first time in over two decades and defeating the Boston Celtics—a move initially intended to propel them towards the Larry O'Brien Trophy—Jason argues that this achievement remains overshadowed by their ultimate goal: securing an NBA championship. He emphasizes that relative to this goal, the Knicks' performance has been underwhelming.

Underachievement Despite Talent

Jason asserts that the Knicks significantly underachieved relative to their talent level:

"They generally underachieved all season, especially versus the good teams in the NBA." [05:45]

The team struggled against top-tier opponents, going 0-10 against elite teams like the Celtics, Thunder, and Cavaliers, and only managed a 6-6 record against other top 10 teams in point differential. This disparity underscores a "pretty significant chasm" between the Knicks and genuinely championship-contending teams.

Defensive Struggles and Roster Issues

A central theme in Jason's analysis is the Knicks' defensive shortcomings, particularly their transition defense and half-court strategies.

Defense on the Floor

Jason critiques the defensive performance of key players:

"Brunson and Cat were pretty much a disaster on defense the entire season." [12:30]

He points out that Tom Thibodeau's strategy of heavy minute loads for players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson led to fatigue and diminished defensive engagement. This approach resulted in poor defensive habits, making the team prone to mistakes under pressure.

Transition Defense Failures

The Knicks' inability to effectively transition defensively was a pivotal factor in their losses, especially against the Pacers:

"They lost the Pacer series in transition. That's where you lost that series." [14:20]

Jason highlights that poor spacing and a lack of floor balance made it difficult for the Knicks to guard against fast-paced opponents, leading to easy transition points for rivals.

Roster Depth and Utilization

While acknowledging some usable depth, Jason believes Thibodeau missed opportunities to better utilize bench players:

"I think Tibbs missed an opportunity to lean on his depth more in the regular season." [10:05]

Players like Deuce McBride, Landra Shamet, and Delon Wright were underutilized, preventing the team from developing consistent defensive habits across the roster.

Offensive Challenges: Spacing and Variety

Beyond defense, the Knicks' offensive strategies also fell short, particularly in spacing and offensive variety.

Spacing Issues

Jason explains that poor spacing hindered both offensive efficiency and transition defense:

"There are simple concepts, simple ideas involving where you need to be when you're off the ball." [20:45]

Ineffective positioning above the break line left the team vulnerable both offensively and defensively, making it easier for opponents to exploit gaps.

Lack of Offensive Variety

The Knicks struggled to diversify their offense, relying heavily on individual talents without establishing a cohesive, multi-faceted offensive system:

"The more ball and player movement that you have on any given possession, the more advantages that are naturally created." [25:30]

In contrast, teams like the Pacers thrived by maintaining dynamic and adaptable offensive plays, something the Knicks failed to emulate consistently.

Player Assessments

Karl-Anthony Towns

Jason critiques Towns' defensive capabilities despite his offensive prowess:

"The main reason why he is a bad defensive player is his just his natural defensive instincts." [27:00]

While Towns is offensively talented, his defensive lapses and poor decision-making on that end of the floor have been detrimental to the team's overall performance.

Jalen Brunson

On the other hand, Brunson is highlighted as a key offensive asset:

"Jalen Brunson is still one of the most gifted half-court playoff scorers in the league." [21:10]

Yet, his heavy usage without sufficient rest contributed to defensive inconsistencies, showcasing the drawbacks of Thibodeau's minute-heavy coaching style.

OG Anunoby and Other Players

Jason acknowledges the potential of players like OG Anunoby and Mikhail Bridges but notes that their contributions were often hampered by the team's structural issues:

"When they were able to keep Opponents in the half court, when they contained the ball, when they flew around in rotation and didn't make mistakes, when they rebound and run off of that stuff, they looked scary good." [18:50]

Proper utilization and coaching could have allowed these players to maximize their impact.

Recommendations for the Knicks

Jason outlines the necessary steps the Knicks must take to align their roster and coaching strategies with their championship ambitions.

Coaching Staff Overhaul

He emphasizes the need for a coach who prioritizes:

1. Attention to Detail:

   "They need someone who hunts margin, who hunts the low hanging fruit in basketball." [26:15]

2. Balanced Offensive Approach:

   "Find someone who can build the offense around a more equal opportunity approach." [26:45]

Roster Rebuilding

Jason suggests pivoting the roster to enhance defensive stability and offensive versatility:

"Tying up $50 million in salary on an inconsistent offensive player who is a bad to awful defensive player, who specifically is bad in terms of just his ability to make basic basketball decisions on that end of the floor." [27:35]

He advocates for acquiring versatile forwards and reducing reliance on players like Towns who hinder the team's defensive framework.

Conclusion

Jason concludes that the decision to fire Tom Thibodeau was justified, given the Knicks' underperformance relative to their talent and championship aspirations. Despite leading the most successful Knicks season in decades, the combination of defensive frailties, poor coaching strategies, and inefficient player utilization necessitated the coaching change. Moving forward, the Knicks must focus on refining their defensive strategies, optimizing player rotations, and cultivating a more versatile and disciplined offensive system to realize their championship goals.

"It takes a lot of guts to look at a guy in Tibbs who just led the most successful Knicks season in decades, who's beloved by his players and in general is just a legend of this era of NBA basketball. It takes a lot of guts to sit down there and be like, he's not the guy that can bring us to the championship." [28:10]

Jason underscores the importance of making tough decisions to align the team's structure with its long-term objectives, highlighting the necessity of evolving beyond past successes to achieve future greatness.

Notable Quotes:

• "They view their defeat in the conference finals as a failure." – [03:15]
• "Brunson and Cat were pretty much a disaster on defense the entire season." – [12:30]
• "They lost the Pacer series in transition." – [14:20]
• "You don't want to have the above the break line wide open. Why? Because if no one's up there, you're making your team easier to guard." – [21:00]
• "Jalen Brunson is still one of the most gifted half court playoff scorers in the league." – [21:10]
• "They need someone who hunts margin, who hunts the low hanging fruit in basketball." – [26:15]
• "It takes a lot of guts to sit down there and be like, he's not the guy that can bring us to the championship." – [28:10]

This comprehensive analysis provided by Jason offers listeners a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted reasons behind Tom Thibodeau's dismissal and the broader challenges facing the New York Knicks in their pursuit of an NBA championship.