Tom Thibodeau Was ‘Deeply Wounded’ After Getting Fired By New York Knicks

Tom Thibodeau was “deeply wounded” after getting fired by the New York Knicks this offseason, according to NBA reporter Ian O’Connor of The Athletic.

Thibodeau led the Knicks to the conference finals last season for the first time since 2000. New York lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games and Thibodeau was fired and replaced by Mike Brown.

“And yet the owner did a deep dive on the coach’s imperfections, invited himself to player and staff exit interviews, and decided the Knicks had crashed into their ceiling,” O’Connor wrote. “Thibodeau was deeply wounded over the loss of the only job he ever really wanted. ‘But he also had a sense of betrayal,’ a source close to him said. ‘When you find out that people you helped either weren’t with you in the end or didn’t fight for you like you fought for them, that stings.'”

Thibodeau was hired by the Knicks in 2020. He went 226-174 in the regular season and 24-23 in the playoffs and won the 2021 Coach of the Year Award. 

“According to a second source, Thibodeau found himself philosophically misaligned with several other members of the front office who were too eager to overlook the coach’s strengths – the Celtics didn’t dethrone themselves in that 38-point Game 6 blowout – and to focus on his flaws,” O’Connor wrote. “‘In their world,’ the source said,’ the players were 51-0 and Tom was 0-31.'”

Brown has coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. He is 454-304 in the regular season and 50-40 in the playoffs. 

The Knicks face the Cavaliers at home on opening night. New York signed Mikal Bridges to an extension and added Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele this offseason and made Jalen Brunson “untouchable” in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talks with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to NBA insider Sam Amick of The Athletic.

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