New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has one of the most impressive résumés in NBA history. He's led three different franchises to postseason appearances, ended droughts at multiple stops, and has cemented his status as one of the best defensive coaches ever.
Unfortunately, the narrative that has often overshadowed Thibodeau's success has been the endless criticism of the way he distributes minutes to his players.
Thibodeau has been known to play his starters heavy minutes during the regular season and the postseason alike. It's an approach that has become the source of countless debates over the past 15 years, even as he's won 577 games in the regular season and 38 in the playoffs.
Thankfully, Thibodeau has taken that criticism in stride during the later stages of the 2024-25 regular season—due in no small part to one of his own players echoing the concern.
Since Mikal Bridges called Thibodeau out on Mar. 12, the Knicks have been more diligent in evenly distributing playing time in a way that creates less wear and tear on the players. Prior to that date, five players were averaging at least 35.1 minutes per game. Since then, however, only three are.
Unfortunately, that shift in mentality cost the Knicks dearly during a game they needed to win against the Detroit Pistons on Apr. 10.
Knicks limited playing time, may have lost because of it against Pistons
New York led Detroit by 13 points with 5:35 remaining in the third quarter of a game it seemed to be running away with. Every time the Pistons seemed to mount a comeback, the Knicks found a way to snuff their progress out.
Unfortunately, the progress crumbled to pieces as New York fell 115-106 to the team it's on pace to play during the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
One of the significant developments within that loss was the goal of limiting playing time for key starters. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart both missed the game due to injuries, while Mikal Bridges played 33 minutes, and Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns each played 29.
It's an approach that makes sense with New York focusing on getting to the playoffs at 100 percent, but the loss to Detroit could be disastrous.
That begins with the fact that the Knicks haven't yet clinched the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. If they lose their next two, and the Indiana Pacers win out, New York will fall to No. 4 in the standings and potentially face Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.
The Knicks are admittedly 3-0 against Minnesota this season, but going up against one of the very best players in the NBA as soon as the playoffs begin isn't exactly an ideal outcome.
Even if New York holds on to the No. 3 seed, however, it's on pace to face Detroit—which is now 3-1 against the Knicks this season. Even more concerning is the fact that Pistons star Cade Cunningham is averaging 30.8 points on .563/.520/.800 shooting against the orange and blue in 2024-25.
It was a smart decision to keep injured players out and limit Bridges, Brunson, and Towns' minutes during the first leg of a back-to-back, but it may have cost the Knicks a crucial win against a team that has their number.