The New York Knicks are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference with a 40-20 record as of March 3, 2025. That is good for third-best in the East, just behind the defending champions Boston Celtics and the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite their success, New York has shown some cracks this season, especially with the injury troubles. Former NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce has spoken about what is going on with the Knicks and how he feels there are problems with the team from the Big Apple.
Coach Thibodeau is known for his player rotations
Ever since he debuted as a head coach for the Chicago Bulls in 2010, Coach Tom Thibodeau is known for giving his players heavy minutes. It has been accepted to be part of his coaching style as he usually leads the team to good results, which also bodes well for those who bet on them on the Bitcasino.io app.
Unfortunately, his usage of players and how he gives them minutes have become an issue. Many would point to Derrick Rose’s ACL injury in the 2012 Playoffs, which ended his career as an All-Star-level player. The Knicks have some of the same issues as they have not beaten the top teams like the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
New York is 0-7 against those teams this season. For an experienced NBA community member, Pierce believes Thibodeau’s system is making the team struggle as they are on the court too much.
The 2008 Finals MVP said, ‘Their confidence is off right now. They get tired and run into the ground. Bro, it’s the second half of the season; it’s that marathon. When you were supposed to be running this way, you were running this way. Now you’re tired. They’re all playing 38-40 minutes. So, you’re going to have to show confidence in these other cats to save their legs for the Playoffs’.
The Knicks must do better when the Playoffs come around
New York had a superb run in the previous Playoffs in 2024, reaching the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. However, that is not the stage they want to end their postseason, as they are capable of more. They could compete in the Conference Finals, and even surpass that by playing in the NBA Finals.
That will be up to Thibodeau and how he maximises his team. The Knicks are loaded with talent led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. They also have a superb supporting cast like OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and more. If they want to win, they could opt to follow Pierce’s advice and let the players rest more.
When they are fresh for the Playoffs, they could have a strong run in the later stages of the postseason. The 2024-25 campaign is challenging for the Knicks, but competing against the best teams is always tough. With this team, they have the innate potential to compete, so placing bets on them makes for fun and various Bitcasino.io experiences.
New York is waiting for another successful team, and that might be the time for the Knicks to follow their WNBA counterpart, the New York Liberty, by winning a basketball championship for the city.