Another day, another brutal loss for the Knicks. They headed into tonight’s Pacers clash hoping to shake off Wednesday’s embarrassing defeat and take revenge by tying the series. But once again, Tyrese Haliburton and Co.’s fast-paced offense proved too much to handle for Tom Thibodeau’s squad. And when the time came to rely on the superstars, Coach Thibs made a controversial decision to bench Karl-Anthony Towns for the majority of the fourth quarter.

Yes, KAT was having a rough night, having scored just 20 points on 6 of 14 shooting. So, at around the nine-minute mark in the final quarter, with the Knicks down by nine points, Thibodeau subbed him out. In came Mitchell Robinson, who was having a better defensive game than Towns. With Robinson on the floor, the New York team started clicking and was able to cut down the Pacers’ lead. Seeing the progress, Thibs kept Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench for nearly seven minutes.

The head coach was eventually forced to sub Towns back in when the Pacers began hacking Mitchell, sending him to the free-throw line. KAT returned for the final 2:25 minutes, but it was too late. The Knicks ended up losing by five points, and Karl played just 28 minutes, much lower than his usual usage. After the game, Thibodeau clarified why he decided to keep the superstar out for so long: “We got in a hole and then the group that was in there gave us a chance. So, we were just riding that. Was just searching for a way to win.”

Problem is – the risk did not pay off, and the Knicks lost anyway. Now, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins is concerned about Thibodeau’s decision to bench KAT coming back to haunt him. “If or when the Pacers win this series… Thibs decision to bench Towns in the 4th is going to get him fired. I get it he wanted to get some defensive stops but it didn’t work,” he tweeted.

Well, Thibodeau inked a three-year contract extension with the Knicks last year, solidifying his future with the team. But head coaching is arguably the most volatile job in the NBA, where one bad game can get you fired. So, Perkins’ concern is reasonable. Also, benching KAT is not the only questionable decision Thibs has made during his tenure.

Tom Thibodeau’s over-reliance on starters could land him in trouble if Knicks lose

For four years, Tom has been the leader of the New York squad. While he has visibly elevated the team to new heights, with their first trip to the Conference Finals since 2000, his on-court tactics could land him in trouble. Of course, the biggest concern with Thibodeau as head coach is his over-reliance on the starters. Players such as Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, and OG Anunoby are among the leaders in minutes played. Even during these playoffs, Thibs has usually gone with a seven-man rotation, barely giving bench players any minutes.

Although the strategy has gotten the Knicks to this stage, players often look tired and fatigued during games. Even Mikal Bridges admitted earlier this season how taxing it is to play for Tom Thibodeau: “Sometimes it’s not fun on the body.”

This issue has become more evident in the Pacers series because of how fast-paced their offense is. The Knicks cannot keep up for long, which is why they are down 2-0. So, if things do not work out this season as well, the Knicks front office might not hesitate in reconsidering Tom’s future, like Perkins fears, and look for other head coaches who bring a different approach.

So, Tom Thibodeau might not just be fighting to save the Knicks’ season but also his job. What do you think? Will he meet the same fate as Michael Malone?