New York Knicks Fans Sentiment to Tom Thibodeau Firing

New York Knicks fans spent the NBA Finals pondering who will replace Tom Thibodeau as the team’s head coach. 

Thibodeau led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, where they fell to the Pacers in six games. Thibodeau led New York to four playoff appearances and a 226-174 regular-season record (24-23 in the playoffs) during his five seasons with the club. 

The dismissal of Thibodeau continues to be a head-scratcher.

“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,” the Knicks said in a statement announcing the move, “Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward.”

No one outside of the Knicks’ front office knows for sure what that means. 

Knicks fans remain unconvinced that the move was the right one. 

A poll Bookies.com conducted via reddit.com found that the sentiment surrounding the team’s decision to fire Thibodeau remains overwhelmingly negative. 

Of those who responded to the poll, 52% said the move was “negative.” Meanwhile, 32% were “neutral.” And just 16% of the 50 respondents found it to be “positive.” 

Related: 2025 New York Knicks Next Head Coach Odds

Knicks Had Good Run, Until . . . 

Given that the Knicks have not paraded through the Canon of Heroes as NBA champions for 52 years, this past season was a success in the Big Apple. At least outside of Brooklyn. 

The Knicks dethroned the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in 6 games in Round 2. That victory flooded the streets in lower Midtown Manhattan. And street signs were renamed in the honor of the team’s players. 

But the Knicks hit a roadblock against the Pacers in the conference finals, falling short of their first NBA title since 1973. 

And it appears the team is in no rush. They appear to be focused on coaches who are available – as opposed to those who are currently under contract as head coaches. 

That leaves former Denver Nuggets’ head coach Mike Malone. He was fired midseason just two years after his team won the NBA title. Malone is both a former Knicks’ assistant and a Queens native.