New Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacted to the team's decision to fire his predecessor during his first press conference.
The New York Knicks' latest head coach, Mike Brown, reacted to the team's decision to fire his predecessor during his first press conference on Tuesday.
Brown offered up a relatively diplomatic take on the departure of Tom Thibodeau earlier this summer. Thibodeau had guided the Knicks back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years this spring, only to see New York fall in six games to the Indiana Pacers.
Brown on Thibs: "He's a tremendous coach and friend of mine. I don't want to get into the past. I'm excited about the roster and things we're going to put in place here."
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) July 8, 2025
"He's a tremendous coach and friend of mine," Brown said of Thibodeau, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. "I don't want to get into the past. I'm excited about the roster and things we're going to put in place here."
Across five seasons at the helm of one of the NBA's most valuable franchises, Thibodeau posted a 578-420 overall regular season record (.579) and a 48-55 playoff record (.466), while helping New York win at least one playoff round across each of the past three seasons.
A two-time Coach of the Year (including during his debut 2020-21 season in New York), Thibodeau frequently got the best out of All-Stars Julius Randle (now with the Minnesota Timberwolves), Jalen Brunson, and Karl-Anthony Towns during their tenures with the team.
Thibodeau has been often criticized for overplaying his veterans and not taking the time to develop younger, non-star players, and for a certain rotational inflexibility — although he demonstrated a surprising openness to make on-the-fly adjustments throughout New York's surprise run to the East Finals this year.
In fairness, New York's depth beyond its top six players was often suspect this season — although Thibodeau rarely played reserve guards Landry Shamet and Delon Wright during the year.
But Thibodeau's surprising reactivity in the playoffs may have been too little, too late. Shamet and Wright both had impressive playoff showings when they did get time. Reserve center Mitchell Robinson was toggled into a starting role late in the Pacers series to form a "twin towers" front line next to Towns, after starting guard Josh Hart underperformed.
Thanks in part to savvy roster moves (the signings of guard Jordan Clarkson and forward Guerschon Yabusele) and in part to likely season-ending Achilles tendon tears for East All-Stars Jayson Tatum (of the Boston Celtics), Tyrese Haliburton (of the Indiana Pacers), and Damian Lillard (formerly of the Milwaukee Bucks, but he was stretched-and-waived), the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers have emerged as the heavy favorites to advance to the NBA Finals next June.
Brown, himself a two-time Coach of the Year, has won four titles as an assistant coach (Thibodeau won once, in 2008) with the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors.
Known as a defense-first coach during his largely successful first stint with the LeBron James-era Cleveland Cavaliers, from 2005-10, Brown adjusted his approach following an extended run with the Warriors under head coach Steve Kerr from 2016-22.
Brown took advantage of the Sacramento Kings' offense-heavy lineup when he assumed control of that franchise in the 2022-23 season, leading All-Stars De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis to a 48-34 record, the West's No. 3 seed and Sacramento's lone playoff appearance since 2006. The team couldn't survive the play-in tournament the next year, and Brown took the fall for some head-scratching front office moves early into the Kings' 2024-25 tilt.
Overall, Brown boasts a 454-304 head coaching record (.599) and a 50-40 playoff record (.556), including one NBA Finals appearance in 2007. Considered more of a player-friendly coach than Thibodeau, Brown has demonstrated a willingness to adjust his schemes to fit his talent.
The Knicks' two best players, Brunson and Towns, prioritize offense, but New York also boasts several high-caliber defenders in All-Defensive Team wings Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, Hart, and Robinson.
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Category: Basketball
