Did beating the Boston Celtics actually cost coach Tom Thibodeau his job with the New York Knicks? Such a point of view might sound a bit absurd at first glance, but when you take a deeper dive into the concept being floated in such a statement, there is a case to be made that this could be true.
The Knicks, of course, were widely seen as underdogs to beat the then-reigning NBA champs, with the Celtics heavily favored by oddsmakers heading into their 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals second round series with Boston. But we all know how that prospect ended up turning out with the benefit of hindsight; did New York beating the Celtics raise the front office expectations to a degree that made a future with Thibs untenable?
The hosts of the eponymous CLNS Media “Bob Ryan, Jeff Goodman, and Gary Tanguay!” podcast took some time on a recent episode of their show to talk it over. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say!
If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network: https://ytubl.ink/3Ffk