The Knicks made a somewhat stunning decision on Tuesday to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau after the most successful season the franchise has experienced this century. But while most of the NBA world was taken aback, Nuggets fans were nodding along after watching a similar scene unfold just over a month ago.
Sure, the Knicks came within two wins of reaching the Finals, but the front office clearly wasn’t satisfied with that result and thinks that they can do better. Sometimes “goodness” can stand in the way of “greatness”, and that’s what New York is banking on, which is the same bet that Denver made just before the end of the regular season.
Nuggets sought higher ceiling after firing Michael Malone
The Nuggets really shook things up when they fired Michael Malone with just three games remaining in the regular season. Malone was the winningest coach in franchise history and led them to their first title just two years ago in 2023.
The team was on its way to another 50-win season and the verge of another playoff run when the shocking move was made. On the surface, it seemed like the Nuggets were throwing in the towel on the season, but in reality, they just believed that they had peaked under Malone and needed a new leader to bring them to the next step.
Come to find out, Malone had largely lost the locker room, and his stubbornness was wearing on people inside the building. He never adapted, and as a result, the team was woefully unprepared and undermanned by the end of the season, which ultimately cost him his job.
But ownership still believed in the roster, so they promoted David Adelman to be a new voice to lead the team with new ideas, new schemes, new rotations, and a more creative and open-minded overall approach.
Knicks fire Thibs for same reason as Nuggets
The Knicks seem to have made the same realization as the Nuggets. The team experienced plenty of success under Thibs, but his voice and style grew stale. They think the team has a higher ceiling that can be reached with a new leader who can bring in some innovative ideas.
We’ll see if they can actually find that person, and whoever the next coach of the Knicks is, will have a lot of pressure to succeed immediately, and big shoes to fill just to match what Thibs has achieved in the last few years.
Ironically, Michael Malone has been a name rumored to New York, despite having many of the same flaws as Thibs. That would be more of the same, but sometimes all it takes is a change of face and/or scenery. There are plenty of good options available, and the Knicks still have a strong roster, but this is a risky path forward that the Nuggets’ fans know all too well.