The upper limit of the Eastern Conference Final? On-site dispatch + personnel rotation defeated the championship coach, should the Knicks abandon Thibodeau

Although he led the team to the playoff stage in the Bulls and Timberwolves, and this time he left the Knicks with 24 years away, Thibodeau did become the Knicks' biggest shortcoming in the competition with the Pacers. Facing Halliburton, Siakam, Turner of the Knicks, the Knicks also have Brunson, Towns, Anunobi, Bridges and other strong players. Brunson and Towns have just been selected for the best team of the season, but in their first two home courts, the Knicks both lost and are currently behind 0-2 with a total score, and the prospect of advancing to the finals is not clear.

When he was in the Bulls, Thibodeau made Ross play in garbage time, which resulted in the latter being seriously injured, which caused his career to decline. After so many years, Thibodeau still did not change his stubborn side. In this playoffs, the rotation was reduced again. Facing the Pacers, 10 people were rotated, and the Knicks had 6 or 7 people rotated in each game. Once the main force had physical strength problems, the Knicks would be very passive.

In addition, compared with Pacers coach Carlisle, who once led the Mavericks to the championship, Thibodeau's on-the-spot dispatch ability was also at a great disadvantage. In the G2 of the Eastern Conference Final with the Pacers, Thibodeau did not call a timeout when the Knicks were 3 points behind in the last moment. As a result, with 4 seconds left in the game, the team was 5 points behind, but he suddenly called a timeout for no reason, which made the Knicks finally lose their own two home courts in a row, and went to the Pacers' home court with the disadvantage of falling behind 0-2. For the Knicks, if they change to a more enlightened coach, like Carlisle and Dagenot, who are willing to expand their rotation, they will definitely have a chance to enter the finals, but if they continue to trust Thibodeau, they may have the fate of the Eastern Conference Finals if they are at the top of the sky.

In the offseason last year, the Knicks and Thibodeau reached a three-year contract extension, which will last until the 27-28 season, but this year the Knicks rushed to the Eastern Conference Finals stage. If they really cannot cross the Pacers who lack superstars, next season, when the 76ers, the Bucks, and the Celtics are likely to make a comeback, the Knicks may not be able to continue to touch the floor of the Eastern Conference Finals, so the team really needs to think carefully now whether they should terminate the contract with Thibodeau in advance, so as to replace a more enlightened head coach to take charge of the Knicks coach.

At present, there is indeed such a good candidate in the free market. He is Mike Malone, who was fired by the Nuggets at the end of the regular season this season. The latter helped the team win the first championship in the history of the Nuggets, and the on-the-spot dispatch and flexible use of rotation are actually higher than Thibodeau. If the Knicks really miss the finals stage this year, the management can try to chase Malone and let him replace Thibodeau's position. But if you continue to trust Thibodeau, the Knicks' upper limit in the next few years may be the only East Finals stage.