“This happens to his teams every year”: Isaiah Thomas takes massive dig at Tom Thibodeau, cites Knicks coach’s flaw

Following the New York Knicks’ Game 2 loss against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, former NBA star Isaiah Thomas took a dig at Tom Thibodeau. Thomas took to X, formerly Twitter, to highlight the Knicks coach’s lack of trust in his bench as he shared his take on why the Knicks are down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals.

“Thibs getting out coached… this happens to his teams every year. They die out because he doesn’t trust his bench.”

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Tom Thibodeau has tried to rely on his starters even when the combination seemingly works against them. The Knicks' starters are minus-81 when on the court together this postseason, and are minus-29 in the ongoing series.

While all five of the Knicks' starters are critical players for different reasons, they don't seem to work as well as any other combination alongside either Mitchell Robinson or Miles McBride. Even when Thibodeau finds units that work, he hasn't stuck with them, preferring to rely on the starting unit instead.

After losing two straight games at Madison Square Garden in their first ECF appearance since 2000, the Knicks are in a tricky position. While they are capable of bouncing back, it might mean making some tactical changes.

Stephen A. Smith goes off at Tom Thibodeau and Knicks after Game 2 loss

Similar to many New York Knicks fans, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith was also stunned by their Game 2 loss at Madison Square Garden on Friday. After the contest, Smith took to X to vent his frustrations over the loss.

"I'm trying to keep my cool, you know?" Smith said. "There's always hope. But I don't understand for the life of me how in the hell Tom Thibodeau has KAT playing just 28 minutes. He's gonna try to tell us it was defense! But with Mitchell Robinson on the court, the deficit increased. Jalen Brunson...that shot at the end of regulation? Don't know what that was about.

"I don't know what else to say. I mean...I do know what to say, but don't want to. I don't want to. I don't know what Thibs was doing tonight. I have no clue! I have no idea! ...Looks like we're going home. Looks that way! Don't know if it is that way!"

While New York may look to deploy some change in strategy for the remainder of the series, it will be an uphill battle as they head to Indiana for Game 3 on Sunday.

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Mathews Kannanthara

Mathews Kannanthara is a journalist and a basketball enthusiast who specializes in the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda. While his educational background lies in architecture, his passion for basketball has been nurtured through years of playing as captain for school and college teams, winning various tournaments along the way.

As a fan of the Golden State Warriors, Mathews is drawn to the leadership and the 'I can do all things' approach of 'Chef Curry.' He also holds fond memories of Kobe Bryant's legendary 60-point farewell game.

Mathews strives to deliver top-notch content by understanding his readers' preferences and conducting thorough research. Beyond basketball, Mathews puts his energy into music, showcasing his talent as a drummer.

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