Tom Thibodeau Shakes Up Knicks: 5 Coaching Tweaks Behind New York’s Playoff Surge

NEW YORK — Under mounting playoff pressure, New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has finally broken from his trademark lineup rigidity, promoting center Mitchell Robinson to the starting five and shifting swingman Josh Hart to a sixth-man role for tonight’s pivotal Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers</a>. Why the shake-up matters • Brutal numbers: Thibodeau’s regular starting unit (Jalen Brunson, Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns) is –50 in 308 postseason minutes and –29 through the first two games of this series</a>. • Rebounding edge: Robinson owns the team’s best on-court rebound rate (58.8 %), a critical weapon versus an Indiana squad that finished 28th on the glass. Pairing him with Towns could turn every missed shot into a Knicks extra possession. • Foul-game deterrent: Starting a poor free-throw shooter early discourages the Pacers from intentional fouling, because it would put them in the penalty with nine-plus minutes left in the quarter. • Matchup flexibility: Robinson can check rim-runner Myles Turner, freeing Anunoby to hound All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton while allowing Towns to body Pascal Siakam—an alignment New York hopes will slow the Pacers’ 125.3 offensive rating. What it signals about Thibs The veteran coach has long been criticized for “dogmatic” rotation patterns; no NBA team used fewer starting lineups this season than New York’s 12. Public outcry intensified after back-to-back home losses, with former players and analysts warning that stubbornness could cost him his job</a>. By pivoting now, Thibodeau concedes the urgency of avoiding a 0-3 hole—a deficit only four teams in NBA history have overcome. Key players to watch • Mitchell Robinson: Can he sustain 26–30 minutes after missing 50 regular-season games with ankle surgery? • Josh Hart: His relentless energy against Indiana’s high-octane bench could flip momentum when Brunson rests. • Jalen Brunson: The All-Star guard averages 31.6 PPG these playoffs but faces constant traps; Hart’s move to the second unit may increase Brunson’s play-making burden early. The bottom line For the first time all year, Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks will look—and feel—different at tip-off. If the new front-court pairing dominates the glass and the defense tightens, New York can claw back into the series and, just maybe, shift the narrative around its hard-headed head coach. If not, the criticism that has trailed Thibodeau all postseason will only grow louder, and the Pacers will be one win from the franchise’s first Finals berth since 2000.