Getty Head Coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks reacts to a call during the first half of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
A scorching hot start on Sunday afternoon turned into a freezing cold finish for the New York Knicks, as they were brutally bested by the similarly slumping Oklahoma City Thunder and, as a result, have once again fallen under the .500-record threshold at 5-6.
Despite putting up a franchise record 48 points in the opening period and establishing a 12-point advantage heading into the second, the Knickerbockers proceeded to then give up two consecutive 43-point quarters and, after a full 48 minutes of action, were ultimately downed in front of a home crowd by a final score of 145-135.
Those in attendance at Madison Square Garden during the November 13 matinee were vocally displeased with New York’s efforts on the day, as boos rained down from the sidelines to the rafters.
However, the fans in the stands were not the only ones to have voiced their displeasure for the Knicks’ lopsided loss, as many of the franchise’s faithful followers flooded social media feeds during and after the contest to blow off some steam.
And while many factors led to the ball club’s ultimate demise, one individual seemed to be drawing the most criticism from the fanbase.
That man: Tom Thibodeau.
Knicks Twitter Roasts Thibodeau
Throughout his 33 seasons spent in the association, Tom Thibodeau has managed to establish himself as one of the game’s top defensive-minded coaches.
However, many were quick to call out his team’s efforts on the less glamorous side of the ball after having allowed the league’s 29th-ranked 3-point shooting team in Oklahoma City to convert on 55% of their long-range attempts (17 of 31) and drop a whopping 145 points overall.
OKC Thunder is 15 for 24 from 3 and shooting 70% for the game
They say Thibs specialty is defense, right?
A Thibs defense giving up 145 points is just…
I was focused on NFL today but what the heck were the @nyknicks up to? they gave up 145 points to the OKC Thunder. 1-4-5 points. That’s a lot of points to any team. Thibs has to be fuming about the defense
Others were seen fuming over his rotational choices throughout the contest, most notably the decision to shy away from RJ Barrett (who played just 19 minutes), particularly down the stretch.
RJ Barrett did not play the final 21 minutes of today’s game.
Some, however, were fine with his decision to pull away from the 22-year-old, as he struggled mightily during the game and scored just 4 points on 2-for-10 shooting from the floor, though they still questioned Thibodeau’s desire to give someone like Evan Fournier, who didn’t score a single point, 20 minutes while Quentin Grimes saw less than eight.
Quentin Grimes was “untouchable” in trade talks for Donovan Mitchell this summer but Thibs plays him SEVEN minutes tonight vs the OKC Thunder.
If his seat wasn’t already hot enough, it appears that fans believe this recent showing should be the catalyst to lighting his pants on fire, as many are calling for the two-time Coach of the Year’s resignation.
Fire Thibs immediately after the game. Don’t even let him enter the locker room.
Fire Thibs man he sucks.
Since taking over as head coach for the New York Knicks back in 2020, Tom Thibodeau has accumulated an overall record of 83-82 and has led the club to one playoff appearance.
Knicks Guard Believes Barrett Can Be a Star
Despite his lack of usage Sunday afternoon, RJ Barrett is still widely considered to be the centerpiece for the New York Knicks moving forward and has certainly been paid to serve as such as he netted himself a lucrative four-year, $120 million extension this past summer.
The potential the wing possesses is truly impressive, and, during a post-game media session on November 11, teammate Jalen Brunson went as far as to say that the fourth-year pro could go on to become a legitimate star in the league.
“I think he can be an All-Star. I think he can be a very impactful player. I think he can lead a franchise,” Brunson told the reporter. “That’s what he was picked here to do, and can do it. I have the utmost faith in him.”
Though he struggled considerably against the Thunder, RJ Barrett still has found himself showing out during the early stages of 2022-23, especially throughout the seven games coming into Sunday’s exhibition where he was posting averages of 21.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and just shy of a steal on 49.1% shooting from the floor and 42.9% shooting from distance.