Tom Thibodeau led the New York Knicks to a strong 51-31 finish in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, securing third place in the competitive Eastern Conference.
The Knicks carried that momentum into the playoffs, defeating the Detroit Pistons in the first round and then pulling off a surprising 4-2 series win against the defending champion Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals. Their postseason run, however, ended in the conference finals after a tough series with the Indiana Pacers.
Despite this impressive showing, the Knicks shocked fans by announcing Thibodeau‘s firing on June 3, 2025. The decision raised eyebrows given the team’s recent success, but the timing was made even more controversial when photos surfaced of Knicks stars partying at The Fleur Room in Chelsea just one day before the announcement.
Key players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Cam Payne, PJ Tucker, and Mitchell Robinson were seen enjoying a night out, stirring a wave of criticism online. Fans quickly took to social media to express their frustration, with many accusing the players and front office of being dismissive during the coaching shakeup.
Fans react to Knicks’ party photos amid coaching change
The images of the team celebrating sparked strong backlash from supporters. Many expressed disappointment that the players appeared carefree while their coach was being dismissed.
“They all knew already. The firing doesn’t happen without cap’s OK,” one fan wrote on Twitter, suggesting the players were aware of the decision beforehand.
“Meanwhile Thibs was in the film room not knowing what was coming,” were the thoughts of another Twitter user, highlighting the perceived gap between Thibodeau and the organization at the time.
Throughout his tenure, Thibodeau was praised for reinvigorating the Knicks, turning around a struggling franchise by emphasizing tough defense and player growth. His leadership helped the Knicks become genuine contenders again, making the sudden termination a puzzling move to many observers.
Having not been relevant for much of this Millenium, Knicks fans have thoroughly enjoyed Thibodeau’s time in charge of the team, although there have been some murmurings of discontent.
With the series against the Boston Celtics virtually won, Thibodeau took a long time to take his starters out of the game, much to the dismay of the Madison Square Garden crowd.
There was also a sense that the team underperformed with regards to their regular season record given the immense talent they have.
As the Knicks look ahead to the next season, the fallout from this coaching change-and the timing of the team’s celebration-has left fans wondering about the inner workings of the organization and the future direction of the team.
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