Entering the 2025 NBA Playoffs, many seemed to believe that New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is on the hot seat. It's been more speculative commentary than anything else, but the general idea is that Thibodeau's time in New York is dependent on a trip to the Conference Finals or beyond.
Faced with the pressure to perform and expectations of past mistakes being repeated, Thibodeau proved that he's evolved during his time in New York.
Thibodeau and the Knicks pulled out a massive 123-112 win over the Detroit Pistons during Game 1 of their first-round series. It was a stunning display of mental fortitude, as New York overcame a woeful third quarter to dominate the Pistons in the fourth.
The Knicks went on a 21-0 run during the final frame, ultimately outscoring Detroit by a margin of 40-21 in the fourth quarter.
The run that New York went on was spawned by a number of developments, including remarkable two-way play from Karl-Anthony Towns. It also saw Jalen Brunson step up with a performance that's certain to add to his growing Knicks legend.
Of the various reasons to celebrate the Knicks' win, however, none are more profound than Thibodeau proving he's willing to ride with the hot hand—even if they're a reserve.
Tom Thibodeau trusted his reserves and Knicks won Game 1
One of the most consistent knocks against Thibodeau has been his distribution of playing time. Some will point out that three different players saw upwards of 39 minutes in Game 1, but that's admittedly the norm during postseason basketball—see: Three Pistons playing 35-plus.
Rather than exclusively prioritizing his starters, however, Thibodeau turned to his bench for crucial minutes, with Cameron Payne answering the call.
Payne scored 14 points in just 15 minutes, shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He scored 11 of those points during the fourth quarter, going shot-for-shot with Brunson in a display that crushed the Pistons' spirit.
It was a direct result of Thibodeau trusting his reserves in a pivotal moment and adjusting his strategy to accommodate the natural flow of the game.
Payne wasn't the only reserve to play significant minutes during Game 1. Mitchell Robinson had six points, six rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in 18 minutes, while Miles McBride had four assists in 15, and Landry Shamet played 10.
That enabled the Knicks to give Mikal Bridges 29 minutes and Josh Hart 30 in a game that was won by Thibodeau leaving stubborn tendencies behind.
Bridges struggled in Game 1, posting eight points in his 29 minutes and recording a +/- of -16. Rather than ignoring what was happening in favor of going with his proven players, Thibodeau expanded his circle of trust and proved this isn't the Knicks team that we used to know.
Game 1 hardly determines the outcome of a full series, but Thibodeau has set the stage for New York to take the step forward critics assumed they could only dream of achieving.