Getty Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks dropped the fifth of their last seven games Wednesday night, as they were bested by their cross-borough rival the Brooklyn Nets whilst on the road.
Trailing the entire game, Tom Thibodeau’s squad wound up getting absolutely shellacked, as they lost the contest by a final score of 112-85.
Despite a few short-lived runs late in the game and the impressive athletic showing of second-year big man Jericho Sims, who started in place of the injured Mitchell Robinson, overall the Knicks were simply outmatched against the Nets and, while a considerable amount of blame could easily fall on the players, many believe the fault for their putrid play goes much deeper.
Directly following New York’s blowout loss, fans headed to social media to express their thoughts and, frankly, concerns about how the franchise has been performing as of late, and many were seen voicing their frustrations towards one man in particular: Leon Rose.
Knicks Fans Slam Rose
Since taking over as President of Basketball Operations for the New York Knicks back in March of 2020, a large chunk of the fanbase has trusted and put their faith — arguably blindly — in the former high-profile sports agent to work his magic with his established relationships across the league and, in turn, bring the organization back to relevance after decades of mediocrity.
Through nearly three full years at the helm, all he has to show for his tenure is one postseason appearance, several inflated contracts, a bevy of hoarded picks simply collecting dust, and a slightly north of .500 record of 86-85 that’s currently on a downward trajectory.
As time has passed by, it appears that many are now starting to grow impatient with the inarguably inexperience executive who’s found running the game’s most valuable franchise and, after their latest loss to the Nets, some are already calling for his resignation.
Me going to sleep tonight knowing Thibs and Leon Rose days are numbered in New York
It’s time to fire Leon Rose and Thibs. #NewYorkForever
Others are looking back on the “what could have beens” of his tenure, particularly when it comes to his lack of high-profile trades over the past year.
While it’s easy to look back and wonder “what if,” for Rose his mindset should solely be on the future and, in turn, he should be focusing on what could be. For some fans, the answer seems to reside in Oklahoma City.
Dear Leon Rose, SGA would solve a lot of problems for the Knicks. Defensively and Offensively.
What’s going on right now with the #Knicks is just beyond frustrating. Now for the first time in my life I can just focus on not one, but BOTH of the other teams I root for. Having said that, there’s no direction. Imo, Leon Rose has 2 weeks to trade for SGA or he gotta go
Like I said before dude is looking like a real expensive role player…. if I’m Leon Rose I’m on the phone all morning with Sam Presti negotiating an RJ for SGA deal #NewYorkForever
Despite starting off the 2022-23 campaign with a 3-1 record, the Knicks have hit a rather problematic skid of late and, as a result, see themselves boasting a losing record of 5-6.
Durant Takes Shot at Knicks Fans
After their loss to the Brooklyn Nets, superstar Kevin Durant couldn’t help but give the Knicks more trouble, even after having left the hardwood.
When asked about a pregame video of him shouting at Knicks fans during the team’s post-game media session, the veteran said it’s a way for him to keep the rivalry between the two clubs alive.
“Regardless of each team’s record, it’s always going to be a rivalry,” Durant told the reporter. “Regardless of who’s on the floor, there’s always going to be a rivalry because the fans of New York City are so passionate. They love sports so much there’s always going to be competition.”
Durant would follow this up by taking a direct shot at Knicks fans.
“As long as I got a Nets jersey on, if I see a Knicks fan, I’m always gonna give them a thumbs down, or just give them some s**t about being a Knicks fan. It only adds to the rivalry and the fans feel more engaged if they see a player engaging in the rivalry as well. It’s always fun.”
Durant finished the game with a triple-double of 29 points, 12 assists, and 12 boards and finds himself on a personal 13-game winning streak against the club.