Tom Thibodeau Brushes Off New York Knicks' Minute Critics

Tom Thibodeau brushed off the idea that he's overworking the New York Knicks' major contributors.

Apr 5, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau enters the building / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to critics of his approach to the New York Knicks' rotation, head coach Tom Thibodeau won't give them a minute.

Thibodeau's recent return to Chicago, the site of his first top NBA gig, offered a chance at a brief reflection, especially as he's set to finish up one of his most arduous jobs yet.

A common criticism of Thibodeau's NBA career is the idea that he plays his headliners too long, a trope often invoked when recalling Derrick Rose's unfortunate end to his MVP tour in 2011. Some Knicks observers invoked it when Julius Randle was lost to what eventually became a season-ending shoulder injury on Jan. 27, when he was lingering in the game amidst a one-sided victory over Miami.

Apr 2, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau looks on against the / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The tenured Knicks boss got to address such concerns prior to the team's Friday night showdown with the Chicago Bulls and refused to let those uninvolved in the decision-making author his legacy.

“Everyone gets put in a box. That’s the way it works,” Thibodeau said, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “So the people who have never done this, (those) people have opinions but you don’t listen to those opinions.” 

Thibodeau's supposed overtime practices are somewhat evident on the Knicks' ledgers, which feature four New Yorkers (Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart) averaging at least 30 minutes a game. Four more (Donte DiVincenzo, Mitchell Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, and Isaiah Hartenstein) are playing at least 25.

Part of that is a side effect of the Knicks lingering in the Eastern Conference playoff chase amidst injuries: Randle is out for the year while Anunoby and Robinson have each recently returned from lengthy medical absences. Thibodeau remains confident that his group will be able to handle whatever workloads he has in store for them the rest of the way.

“I think you have to figure out what’s best for your team, what gives you the best chance to win,” Thibodeau said in Bondy's report. “Then if you have guys who can handle that, that’s what they should get.”