Tom Thibodeau is bearing the brunt of criticism for the exclusion of the New York Knicks. Kendrick Perkins accused him of the reason behind the loss.
The New York Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games. That’s a tough outcome for the Knicks, especially when everyone knows they can win it.
It was a difficult series as the Knicks controlled Game 1 but blew a 17-point lead. The Knicks are back, but the Pacers win. This has led to a lot of criticism of Tom Thibodeau, including some of Kendrick Perkins.
In six games, the Pacer’s lowest point total was in Game 5, where he scored 94. The Knicks made solid defenses in that game and won Game 3. Unfortunately, these were the only outstanding defensive performances.
Indiana’s four wins in the series averaged 126.5 points per game. It is unsustainable for any defense. Of course, the Pacers have a strong offense led by Tyreese Halliburton, but the Knicks may have defended better.
Perkins’ main point was that Thibodeau had a hard time adjusting. Perkins was right as the Pacers easted the Knicks’ defense based on the numbers. The Knicks seemed overly confident throughout the series.
Karl Anthonytowns was a big part of the defensive issue as Thibodeau instructed him to play drop coverage. For a team like Indiana, which has Halliburton as a ball handler, it can’t do too much space and work.
“The town of drop coverage was an open season for Pacer. The Knick Transition defense stayed in New York. The Knicks don’t fight on screen. They switch unnecessarily,” Perkins said on his X account.
“For me, everything has returned to defense… this was a staple of Tib, it was scary and undisciplined.”
The 2024-25 season is still a success for New York. Few people believed they could reach the final of the meeting. The Boston Celtics were credited for beating the champions, with New York two games away from the final.
The Pacers outperformed the Knicks, which is a disappointing result. The Knicks know they could have achieved more, but that’s a lesson for the future. This will be a challenge for Coach Thibodeau and his staff to coordinate.
Jalen Brunson and other New York teams are well prepared for the 2025-26 season. The coaching staff and players should be accountable as they appear to be coming back from this loss.
The Knicks front office may change some rosters. However, Thibodeaux signed a three-year extension in the 2024 offseason, so it will continue to be mounted. If he wants to succeed with the Knicks, he has to make better adjustments.
New York is desperate for the Knicks to win something. They achieved something good in the final of the meeting, but they are more hungry. Thibodeau is a great coach, but he has to be open to more ways to win.