Knicks' Tom Thibodeau breaks silence on stunning loss to banged-up Magic
01/07/2025 10:30 AM
The New York Knicks endured one of their most embarrassing losses of the season to a banged-up Orlando Magic team. While Magic guard Cole Anthony delivered a strong message, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau also delivered a strong message. However, his was much more to the point, and without much enthusiasm.
“They played a good game,” Thibodeau said postgame. “We played a low-energy game. We fell short.”
New York only knocked down four of its 22 three-point attempts. In another Knicks game without Karl-Anthony Towns or Miles McBride, the offense has gone into a funk. While Thibodeau has never been an offensive-minded coach, he has the talent to be an elite offensive team.
They’ve had flashes of that brilliance throughout the season. For instance, the Knicks demolished the Phoenix Suns and dropped 138 points on elite efficiency. Some games will pose that point total but games like against the Magic will be the opposite. Although Orlando is a great defensive team, scoring less than 100 points is not a recipe for success.
Tom Thibodeau’s comments prove this is a rough stretch for the Knicks
Again, Thibodeau is typically not a man of many words. However, when he speaks, it is usually with purpose. The 22 attempted threes are just a microcosm of the three-point problem in the Big Apple. They attempt 35.1 threes per game, which is 24th in the league.
A team with Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and Jalen Brunson should attempt more threes. While they remain efficient, the offensive firepower is there to put up big numbers from beyond the arc. However, the Knicks are riding a three-game losing streak and threes have been part of the problem.
When they played the Oklahoma City Thunder, the threes went ice-cold. They shot 9-32 from that range. Against the Chicago Bulls, they shot 8-30 from three. Fast forward to playing Orlando, and they only shot 4-22. There’s more to an offense than solely a three-point shot.
Still, with some of the most elite perimeter scorers in the game, it’s strange not to take advantage of that. No matter what, New York has the talent to get out of the slump. Luckily, they’ll travel out of the country and take on the Toronto Raptors. The 8-28 Raptors have been on the wrong side of success this season.
It might prove to be a bounce-back game for the Knicks after their recent struggles. Plus, it can solidify their standing in a tight Eastern Conference battle for the top seeds.
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