The Knicks fell 114-109 to the Pacers in Game 2, dropping back-to-back home games and putting themselves in a serious hole heading to Indiana for Game 3. There were several factors that contributed to them dropping such a critical game, but no factor is bigger than Tom Thibodeau's stubbornness, which may have just cost the Knicks a shot at the finals and started the clock on Thibodeau's exit as coach.
Thibodeau has made some big adjustments during the Knicks' playoff run. He switched up his defensive philosophies against the Boston Celtics in the second round, one of the biggest factors in their upset series win. But he has refused to make an obvious adjustment, switching his starting lineup, where a mountain of evidence has built showing that they are historically inefficient together.
Heading into Game 2, the Knicks' starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns was a -37 in 13 games, which is shocking for a team in the Conference Finals. Yet, Thibodeau has been woefully unwilling to make any adjustments on that front, insisting on sticking with the same starting unit that played the most minutes in the league during the regular season.
Dating back to the 2008 playoffs, the first year that the league has publicly available lineup data, only four teams that made the conference finals have had a worse net rating than the Knicks' starters. If the Knicks don't turn things around in this series, it could be the end of Thibodeau's run in New York.
Starters struggle again
It was more of the same in Game 2, as the Knicks' starters were a -13 in the 16 minutes and 48 seconds that they shared the floor together. The offense was alarmingly bad, with that group having an offensive rating of 103.3. The defensive side of things was just as poor, as the starters posted a defensive rating of 141.9.
As has been the case all playoffs, things turned around the second that Mitchell Robinson and Myles McBride entered the game. Robinson was brilliant, as usual, on the offensive glass. He secured four offensive rebounds and disrupted numerous other plays that led to extra possessions for New York.
On top of his rebounding, he had three blocks and only two fouls. Once again, he proved he was capable of guarding much smaller and faster players, like Tyrese Haliburton, on the perimeter. He was a +6 for the game, tied for the best among Knicks players.
The other player to be a +6 in the game? Miles McBride. Although McBride's stats don't jump off the page, he scored only five points and had just two assists, the spacing he provides makes the entire team flow exponentially better.
It is unlikely, but let's see if Thibodeau is finally willing to make a change before a must-win Game 3.