Knicks Projected For Major Setback Season Post-Thibs Firing

Tom Thibodeau was at the helm of New York’s Knicks for five years. Thibs’ made the playoffs in four out-of those five, leading the Knicks to consecutive 50+ win seasons for the first time since the 1990s, along with their first trip to the ECF since the year 2000. 

All of those stats, along with being top-five in all-time Knicks coaching wins for both the regular season and playoffs, was somehow good enough to hand him the pink slip. Let me remind you too that the Knicks had a .330 winning percentage over the previous seven years before Thibs’ arrival.

The Knicks are going into the offseason fresh off of a 51-win season, marking their best yet since 2012/13.

Despite winning over 50 games and being two wins away from a finals appearance, the Knicks are projected for a setback season in 2025/26. And it is all because of Thibodeau’s absence.

Historically teams have done progressively worse one-season after Thibodeau has left, with the wins regressing after seasons two and three post-Thibs’ era.

When Thibodeau got fired after leading the Chicago Bulls to their 50-win season, Chicago went 42-40, 41-41 and 27-55 for an average record of 36-46 after three seasons since Thibs’ departure. Chicago went from being a dominant powerhouse to a back of the midfield-level team all the way to a league bottom feeder after year three.

Thibodeau got fired mid-season by the Minnesota Timberwolves after leading them to a 19-21 record. The Timberwolves then proceeded to have 19-45, 23-49 and 46-36 seasons, which was an average record of 29-43. Now factor in the 82-game projections if COVID didn’t happen and that would be an adjusted season win-loss totals of 24-58, 26-56 and 24-36 (first season post-COVID restrictions), for an average record of 32-50.

So the New York Knicks are projected to win anywhere from 37-to-43 games in 2025/26, which undoubtedly could see them miss playoff basketball under the first-year under whoever coach they bring on to lead.

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