Tom Thibodeau didn't cost the Knicks a ring, but firing him makes sense
This is my Good Will Hunting moment for Tom Thibodeau, who was stunningly fired just days after the New York Knicks fell short of the NBA Finals: it's not your fault.
No, it wasn't Thibs' fault that the Knicks couldn't keep up with the high-octane Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. He was given the right team on paper to compete for a championship, from do-it-all wing Josh Hart to a superstar in Jalen Brunson to an All-NBA caliber Karl-Anthony Towns.
But when a team looks like a contender on paper and falls short? Maybe it's time for another mind to take what could be and bring it to its full potential.
I know that hearing this coming from a Knicks fan is going to sound a little ridiculous, and in NO WAY am I trying to compare the Knicks to a generational team that has won multiple titles ... BUT!
This feels like the time the Warriors fired Mark Jackson, only to replace him with ... Steve Kerr.
A team that had just fallen short in the playoffs in back-to-back years had it all on paper, but it needed another coach to get it to the next level.
That's what this firing is -- less of a knock on Thibs, who was beloved by fans and players for giving this team the snarl and defensive mindset it needed to get to within a couple of wins of a title shot.
Sure, there were warts there -- he played his starters way too much, grinding them down throughout the year, although the Knicks' depth wasn't the best. And for a coach known for his defensive mindset, it was the defense that suffered as the Pacers dismantled them both on fast breaks and in halfcourt situations where you'd see a wide open shot a lot.
But maybe there's someone else who can unlock what needs to be fixed. Because the bones of the roster are those of a contender who a new coach can look at and figure out what role Mikal Bridges needs to play, or how to get KAT to lock in better defensively.
Sometimes, teams need a change at the top, even those that came away with what any fan would call a successful season.
Thanks for everything, Thibs. If the Knicks win a ring after you're gone, you deserve a lot of credit for getting this team this far.
Building her legend
We've been watching Coco Gauff play tennis for so long now that it's easy to forget she's just 21 years old, but the WTA No. 2 player in the world achieved another milestone today at Roland Garros.
Gauff beat Madison Keys to make it to her second consecutive French Open semifinal. She'll play Lois Boisson on Thursday for a spot in the final match this weekend.
With her win over Keys in the quarterfinals, Gauff became the youngest woman to win 25 main draw matches at the French Open since Martina Hingis did it back in 2000.
There've been a lot of awesome tennis players who've played at Roland Garros between then and now. Pulling this off was not easy. Yet, here Gauff stands. That's impressive.
We'll see if she makes it to the final match. Boisson won't be an easy out. Plus, either Aryna Sabalenka or Iga Swiatek will be waiting on the other side of the bracket. The path is tough.
But even if Gauff doesn't, this is still something to be proud of.
Feeling the Fever
They've done it, folks. The Fever have pulled off the impossible. They've finally won a game without Caitlin Clark.
"While the team did blow a huge lead in the fourth quarter, it still held on for a 85-76 victory to get to 3-4 on the young season. While it's just one regular season game in June, the Fever desperately needed some proof of concept that they could still remain competitive without Clark in the lineup. The win felt cathartic for Indy."
I'm being facetious, obviously. The Fever did finally win for the first time since the team's star player went down with a quad injury. But now, hopefully, we can stop acting like it's the end of the world for this team without Clark. They'll be fine.
There may be some upside to this Clark-less stretch for the Fever. Aari McDonald was signed with a hardship exception following Clark's injury and she looked awesome in Tuesday's game.
We'll see if this win gives Indiana a bit of momentum. Regardless, I hope we can stop treating every single game for this team as a referendum on its entire season.
Quick hits: Thibs replacements ... NiJaree Canady is ridiculous ... and more
— Here are seven potential replacements for Tom Thibodeau that the Knicks should consider, by Robert Zeglinski.
— Prince Grimes says two former Knicks assistant coaches lead the odds to replace Thibs.
— This NiJaree Canady stat is ridiculous. Meg Hall has more on the impossible job Texas Tech's pitcher has somehow pulled off.
— Didn't expect Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club" to be an Oilers anthem, but here we are. Great choice.
— George Kirby was somehow unfazed after being hit with a 102-mile-per-hour pitch. Couldn't be me.
— Shoutout to Ben Stiller, who had kind words for Thibs after he was fired.
That's a wrap, folks. Thanks for reading. Peace.