Tom Thibodeau dismisses New York Knicks’ Minute Critics
Tom Thibodeau dismissed the notion that he is overworking the New York Knicks’ primary contributors.
When it comes to critics of his approach to the New York Knicks’ rotation, head coach Tom Thibodeau doesn’t waste time.
Thibodeau’s recent visit to Chicago, the site of his first top NBA position, provided an opportunity for a little reflection, especially as he prepares to wrap up one of his most difficult tasks yet.
A recurring critique leveled against Thibodeau’s NBA career is that he plays his headliners for too long, a cliche frequently cited when recalling Derrick Rose’s disappointing conclusion to his MVP tour in 2011. Some Knicks fans evoked it when Julius Randle suffered what turned out to be a season-ending shoulder injury on Jan. 27, while staying in the game during a one-sided win over Miami.
The long-time Knicks coach had the opportunity to address such concerns prior to the team’s Friday night game against the Chicago Bulls, and he refused to let those who were not engaged in the decision-making process write his legacy.
“Everyone is put into a box. That’s how it works,” Thibodeau said to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “So the people who have never done this, (those) people have opinions but you don’t listen to those opinions.”
Thibodeau’s alleged overtime practices are visible on the Knicks’ stats, which show four New Yorkers (Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart) averaging at least 30 minutes per game. Four more players (Donte DiVincenzo, Mitchell Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, and Isaiah Hartenstein) each play at least 25 minutes.
Part of this is due to the Knicks’ continued presence in the Eastern Conference playoff race despite injuries: Randle is out for the season, while Anunoby and Robinson have both recently returned from lengthy medical stints. Thibodeau remains confidence that his team will be able to handle whatever workloads he has planned for them the remainder of the way.
“I think you have to figure out what’s best for your team, what gives you the best chance to win,” Thibodeau stated in Bondy’s article. “Then if you have guys who can handle that, that’s what they should get.”
