The New York Knicks were unable to bounce back in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. With them now down 0-2 in the series, all eyes are looking towards head coach Tom Thibodeau and questioning his decisions.
Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau has made some questionable coaching decisions this series
A key decision that has gotten attention was at the start of the fourth quarter, when he sat Jalen Brunson with the score tied at 81 and put Cameron Payne in his place. New York would immediately go down by nine after a 13-4 run by Indiana, which ended up making a huge difference as the Knicks lost by five.
The Athletic’s Josh Robbins discussed the coaching decision and believes that it cost the Knicks a chance to win.
“Indiana took control of the game during the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, going on a 13-4 run. By the time Thibodeau put Brunson back into the game with nine minutes remaining, New York trailed 94-85. This isn’t meant to rip Thibodeau. At some point, he had to give Brunson some rest for what he initially figured would be a tight game up to the end. But Brunson’s absence proved costly,” Robbins wrote.
Thibodeau needs to make major adjustments before Game 3
Thibodeau’s coaching decisions have come under fire this series, especially after New York blew a double-digit fourth quarter lead in Game 1. Thibodeau closed that game with his starting five, a group that is a -29 in the series and has had major defensive lapses.
He tried something different in Game 2 but managed it poorly. Along with Brunson’s absence in the fourth, he kept Karl-Anthony Towns out of the game until the last two minutes. Even though Towns was struggling on Friday, he should’ve seen the court sooner, given that the game was within reach.
Major adjustments need to be forthcoming for the Knicks, as their season is now officially hanging in the balance. The series heads to Indiana on Sunday for Game 3, and it will be interesting to see if any big chances are on the horizon for New York.
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