<\/amp-img><\/amp-iframe><\/div>\nHere, foxsports.com.au<\/i> breaks down how they got here, tracing the path from turbulence to a Finals berth.<\/p>\n
HOW \u2018EMBARRASSING\u2019 COACHING MOVE PAID OFF<\/b><\/p>\n
Before the Knicks made the finals, they were in all sorts after last season, firing former head coach Tom Thibodeau, which paved the way for Mike Brown to take over. But it was a decision, at the time, that did not sit well with many experts throughout the league. <\/p>\n
Tom Thibodeau\u2019s exit from the New York Knicks in 2025 triggered an immediate reaction across the NBA, with Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff among the most vocal in defending his former colleague. <\/p>\n
Speaking on ESPN Radio\u2019s \u201cJoe & Q\u201d, Bickerstaff framed the decision as part of a wider issue around how coaches are treated across the league after Thibodeau was dismissed following five seasons and a run to the Eastern Conference Finals.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to call it the cherry on top, but it\u2019s the final straw, I think, of what has happened this season and the level of respect that we feel coaches deserve versus what they are getting,\u201d Bickerstaff said. <\/p>\n
His comments reflected a sentiment shared in coaching circles, where the timing and principle of New York\u2019s decision came under heavy scrutiny.<\/p>\n
The backlash around the league was swift. NBA legend Charles Barkley labelled the organisation the \u201cstupidest damn people\u201d, while broadcaster Dick Vitale called the situation \u201cembarrassing\u201d and even suggested Thibodeau should be reinstated.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>It was reported that the New York Knicks have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau just days after they were eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoffs on June 3, (Photo by Maddie Meyer\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAt the centre of the debate was timing. The Knicks had just reached their first conference finals in 25 years and secured a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons under Thibodeau, yet still chose to move on in pursuit of a championship breakthrough. That tension between patience and ambition quickly defined their off-season.<\/p>\n
Behind the scenes, the message from the front office was clear. Owner James L. Dolan believed a new voice was needed to push the roster beyond contention and into title territory, even if it meant moving on from a coach who had rebuilt the organisation\u2019s credibility. Reports also pointed to growing player concerns around rotation structure and offensive flow, often referred to as \u201cThibs Minutes Syndrome\u201d.<\/p>\n
That reputation had been building for years. The Knicks led the entire NBA in total starter minutes by more than 500 during the previous season, reinforcing concerns that Thibodeau\u2019s reliance on his core group left little room for rest or experimentation.<\/p>\n
The debate was not new either. In the season prior, New York\u2019s deepest playoff run in decades ended amid injuries and fatigue, bringing renewed scrutiny of his workload management. It intensified again when Mikal Bridges, one of the league\u2019s most durable players, spoke openly about the physical demands.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n\u201cSometimes it\u2019s not fun on the body,\u201d Bridges told the New York Post. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe just wants to keep the starting player out there.\u201d <\/p>\n
He also suggested the roster had enough depth to share the load more evenly, arguing that a deeper rotation could benefit both performance and player health.<\/p>\n
Thibodeau, however, consistently pushed back on that narrative. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think sometimes people get caught up in the wrong stuff,\u201d he said during a previous radio appearance. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe most important thing is winning.\u201d <\/p>\n
It was a mindset that followed him from Chicago to Minnesota and ultimately to New York, shaping both his success and the criticism that came with it.<\/p>\n
Much of the scrutiny around his approach has been driven more by perception than hard evidence, particularly the belief that heavy minutes increase injury risk. That view has lingered since Derrick Rose\u2019s knee injury in Chicago and resurfaced whenever his rotations tightened in high-stakes moments.<\/p>\n
But a closer look at the data paints a less definitive picture. NBA injury reporting is inconsistent, often blending injuries with rest and illness, which makes long-term comparisons difficult and limits clear conclusions about workload and durability.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks reacts during game three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Kaseya Center on May 06, 2023 (Photo by Eric Espada \/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA \/ Getty Images via AFP)<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThibodeau\u2019s departure marked a clear reset in New York\u2019s direction, shifting the focus from sustained progress to immediate contention. That urgency shaped a difficult coaching search, with several franchises denying permission to speak with sitting head coaches before the Knicks eventually turned to Mike Brown.<\/p>\n
Brown arrived with a resum\u00e9 built for expectation. His career includes long spells under Gregg Popovich and Rick Carlisle, Finals appearances with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, and championship success as an assistant in San Antonio and Golden State. More recently, he restored Sacramento to relevance, ending the Kings\u2019 long playoff drought and stabilising a struggling franchise.<\/p>\n
In New York, though, the job was different. It was no longer about building a foundation, but finishing the climb. Brown inherited a roster that had already reached the conference finals but was now judged on whether it could go further.<\/p>\n
Karl-Anthony Towns set the tone after Game 3 against Cleveland. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe had big shoes to fill,\u201d he said. \u201cMaking the Eastern Conference finals was going to be the bar, minimum.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown accepted that standard immediately. <\/p>\n
\u201cI love being in a position where you feel expectations,\u201d he said at media day. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat means there\u2019s something of importance that you\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
REDEMPTION FOR MIKE BROWN AFTER \u2018SHOCKING\u2019 DISMISSAL<\/b><\/p>\n
Mike Brown\u2019s NBA coaching journey has rarely followed a straight line. <\/p>\n
From transforming the Sacramento Kings into a playoff team for the first time in nearly two decades, to suddenly finding himself out of a job less than two years after winning Coach of the Year, Brown\u2019s rise and fall became one of the league\u2019s biggest talking points. <\/p>\n
Now, after helping guide the New York Knicks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, the conversation around him has shifted once again.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Head coach Mike Brown of the New York Knicks is interviewed after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena (Photo by Jason Miller\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBrown\u2019s demanding coaching style was never a secret in Sacramento. De\u2019Aaron Fox, who played eight years with the Kings, revealed that after every practice and shootaround, Brown would send him detailed performance grades via text message, part of a relentless approach built around accountability and improvement.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019d text me every day with a grade,\u201d Fox told ESPN after Brown\u2019s dismissal.<\/p>\n
Rather than resisting the criticism, Fox embraced it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been coached hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI went to Kentucky because John Calipari was hard on me.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why Fox pushed back strongly against suggestions that tension between himself and Brown played any role in Sacramento\u2019s decision to move on from the veteran coach after a disappointing 13-18 start.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like there\u2019s this perception that people thought we were at odds,\u201d Fox said. \u201cMe and Mike never even had an argument. We could disagree with something, talk about it, and move on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just weeks earlier, Fox and Brown had sat down for what Fox described as a heart-to-heart conversation about the direction of the season. Brown challenged Fox to push himself further defensively, telling him he believed he could become one of the best two-way guards the league had seen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was fine with that,\u201d Fox explained. \u201cHe told me things privately, then said it publicly. And he still played me 40 minutes because he believed in me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Mike Brown during his Sacramento days. (Photo by Harry How \/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA \/ Getty Images via AFP)<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBut while those conversations were happening behind closed doors, Sacramento\u2019s front office was wrestling with bigger questions about the future.<\/p>\n
The Kings had gone from one of the NBA\u2019s best stories to one of its biggest disappointments in a remarkably short time. Brown had ended the franchise\u2019s 16-year playoff drought in his first season, lighting up Sacramento and restoring energy to an organisation that had spent years stuck in irrelevance. Yet despite adding six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan in the off-season, the Kings slipped back towards the bottom of the Western Conference standings.<\/p>\n
Statistically, the numbers didn\u2019t look disastrous. Sacramento\u2019s offence ranked among the league\u2019s best, while the defence remained middle-of-the-pack. But close losses, blown leads and inconsistent late-game execution continued to pile up. The front office explored trade possibilities involving names like Zach LaVine, Brandon Ingram, Cam Johnson and Kyle Kuzma, searching for anything that might shift momentum.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody wanted to fire Mike,\u201d one team source said. \u201cUntil the very last moment we were trying to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead, the situation unravelled quickly.<\/p>\n
After Brown led a film session and practice following Sacramento\u2019s loss to Detroit, he was informed of his dismissal while driving to the airport ahead of the team\u2019s trip to Los Angeles. The handling of the decision drew sharp criticism from around the league.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Brown was a scapegoat. (Photo by Sarah Stier\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFormer Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who was also fired by Kings owner Vivek Ranadiv\u00e9 during his own Sacramento tenure, blasted the organisation.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo class, no balls,\u201d Malone said. \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019ll say about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle described the decision as \u201cshocking\u201d, while Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted he was stunned that a coach who had completely reshaped the Kings culture could be dismissed so quickly after recent success.<\/p>\n
Brown finished his Sacramento tenure with a 107-88 record and two winning seasons, something the Kings had not managed in nearly 20 years. Yet in the NBA, momentum can disappear fast.<\/p>\n
That reality made Brown\u2019s arrival in New York even more fascinating.<\/p>\n
When the Knicks parted ways with Tom Thibodeau despite reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, many around the league questioned the decision. Reports suggested New York pursued several high-profile names, including Jason Kidd, Ime Udoka, Quin Snyder, Chris Finch and Billy Donovan, only to be denied permission to speak with them.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the ALL NBA podcast, Marc Stein and Adam Mares said Brown was far from the franchise\u2019s first choice.<\/p>\n
\u201cMike Brown at best was the sixth choice for this job,\u201d Stein said.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Head coach Mike Brown and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals (Photo by Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAt the time, the move looked risky. Thibodeau had restored credibility to the Knicks, and there were genuine questions about whether Brown could elevate the team further. But the gamble has paid off spectacularly.<\/p>\n
Since a shaky opening stretch that included two painful losses to Atlanta, New York has surged into the NBA Finals behind improved ball movement, stronger chemistry and a more adaptable offensive system. Karl-Anthony Towns has flourished in a new role, while Mikal Bridges has silenced critics with his playoff performances.<\/p>\n
Mares pointed to the way the Knicks evolved under Brown as proof the coaching change ultimately worked.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people wondered how different they could really be with Mike Brown,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the teamwork and the way they\u2019ve come together has been incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown still hasn\u2019t won a championship as a head coach, but his years alongside Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr gave him experience inside elite championship environments. Now, after one of the most turbulent coaching stretches in recent NBA memory, he has New York two wins away from delivering its first title in more than 50 years.<\/p>\n
THE BIG ROSTER MOVES AND TRADES BEHIND KNICKS\u2019 RISE<\/b><\/p>\n
Rewind to the trade deadline and Karl-Anthony Towns was right in the middle of league-wide chatter, with rival teams circling and different scenarios being explored. In hindsight, it feels like the kind of noise New York are glad they resisted acting on.<\/p>\n
Because right now, the Knicks are built around two elite offensive engines in Jalen Brunson and Towns, who together drive one of the league\u2019s most efficient attacks and shoulder huge minutes every night. When it clicks, there are few pairings that look as natural.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots during the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo\/Sue Ogrocki)<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nEven then, Towns sat at the centre of debate. The production is steady, the scoring and rebounding remain strong, and the Knicks are clearly more dangerous offensively with him on the floor. But the defensive strain, combined with costly fouls in key moments, continues to follow him when games tighten and possessions slow down.<\/p>\n
That is also why his name kept surfacing ahead of the deadline. Any serious swing at a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo would almost certainly require a contract of Towns\u2019 size to be part of the equation. And beyond blockbuster hypotheticals, the reality remains simple: when Towns and Brunson share the floor, the offence flows, but the defence is constantly under pressure.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Jalen Brunson. Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images\/AFP<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThat tension sits right at the centre of how far this group can go, even now, with the Knicks just four wins away from a championship.<\/p>\n
When New York fell behind 2-1 to Atlanta in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, the pressure around the entire build snapped into focus. This was a roster assembled through bold, high-cost decisions, and anything short of a deep run risked pulling those moves back under scrutiny.<\/p>\n
The biggest of those swings was the trade for Mikal Bridges, brought in from Brooklyn at the cost of five first-round picks. It was a massive price for a two-way wing, and it immediately set a clear expectation: he had to impact winning on both ends.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Mikal Bridges #1 of the Brooklyn Nets calls a play during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center (Photo by Sarah Stier\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThat spotlight only intensified after a difficult Game 3 against Atlanta, where Bridges finished scoreless with four turnovers. For a player tied so closely to such a significant trade, it became an easy pressure point.<\/p>\n
But the Knicks built this group for more than isolated setbacks.<\/p>\n
Since then, Bridges has completely shifted the tone of his postseason. He has been central to New York\u2019s surge into the NBA Finals, delivering exactly the balance the front office had in mind when it pushed in those draft assets.<\/p>\n
His value is not built on usage or headline moments. It is built on stability. He shifts between scoring, spacing and defensive assignments depending on what the game demands, never needing the offence to run through him to stay effective.<\/p>\n
Coach Mike Brown captured that role clearly: \u201cHe\u2019s just got a good feel,\u201d Brown said. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s picking and choosing (when to go for steals), just like when he\u2019s picking and choosing to go for his shot when we call his number. We need him to continue to do that. I told him and OG (Anunoby) that because I don\u2019t call a lot of plays, you guys have to impose your will on the game. They\u2019re both doing a phenomenal job of imposing their will on the game.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Mikal Bridges attempts a shot against Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers (Photo by Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTeammate Josh Hart has been just as direct about what Bridges brings beyond the price tag: \u201cThe expectations don\u2019t matter,\u201d Hart said. \u201cThat\u2019s for y\u2019all to talk about. There\u2019s nothing he can do about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe didn\u2019t call (Knicks president) Leon (Rose) and say, \u2018Yo, this is the trade package!\u2019 He got put into this situation, and he hit the ground running. We wouldn\u2019t be in this situation without him. Look, how many games has he won for us because he got a stop down the stretch? He\u2019s won games in every single way for us. That\u2019s why we wanted him. That\u2019s why he\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n
That is the reality of Bridges\u2019 role. Not the headline star the trade price suggested, but the connective piece that holds the structure together.<\/p>\n
And in a run defined by big swings and even bigger expectations, New York are now seeing exactly why they paid five first-round picks to bring him in.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\nElsewhere, the conversation around Brunson\u2019s move from Dallas still lingers whenever roster construction is discussed.<\/p>\n
His free agency departure remains one of the most analysed decisions in recent years, with both sides continuing to present different versions of how negotiations unfolded. Brunson\u2019s camp has consistently pointed to fit and opportunity in New York, while Dallas leadership has maintained they were never given a clear chance to re-sign him on their terms.<\/p>\n
Brunson himself has kept his focus firmly on the present, with both franchises having moved on in different directions since the split.<\/p>\n
Then there is Towns\u2019 own emotional thread.<\/p>\n
He continues to carry the weight of his Minnesota Timberwolves past, particularly in match-ups against his former team. After nine seasons there, that connection has not faded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still stunned, I mean, I\u2019m still stunned. It\u2019s weird,\u201d Towns said following his last game against Minnesota.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel more like a Knick now after everything we went through last year, but it\u2019s weird to see that Wolves jersey \u2014 especially the fire black one \u2014 and not see \u2018Towns\u2019 on the back of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks embrace after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers (Photo by Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIn the end, everything circles back to the same theme: the Knicks did not build this team through safe decisions. They pushed in on Towns, committed to Brunson as the offensive hub, changed coaches, and spent five first-round picks on Bridges to give the roster balance on both ends. <\/p>\n
It has all led them to this point, with every move under a microscope and every weakness exposed under playoff pressure. Now, with a championship within reach, the question is no longer whether the cost was too high or the fit too complicated. <\/p>\n
It is whether the collection of bold swings can finally be justified with the one result that makes it all worthwhile.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The New York Knicks are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, but the journey to get there has been anything but smooth. In a city where expectations never ease and basketball carries a weight that stretches far beyond the court, every decision is magnified. Watch every game of the 2026 NBA […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":246321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[156],"class_list":{"0":"post-246320","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=246320"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246320\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/246321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=246320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=246320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=246320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}