Man, the NBA playoffs are just built different, aren’t they? Game 3 in Indiana for the New York Knicks wasn’t just a game; it was a full-blown emotional saga. Down 0-2, season on the brink, fans absolutely losing their minds over Coach Tom Thibodeau’s decisions – it had all the makings of a disaster. And yet, through bizarre lineups, nail-biting moments, and an unexpected injury to a key Pacer, the Knicks somehow, someway, clawed their way back from a 20-point hole to steal a 106-100 victory, keeping their season alive. It was wild, it was messy, and it probably still hasn’t calmed down all the Thibs critics, even with a win.

Seriously, the heat on Thibs was scorching, especially early on. The “Knicksmuse” Twitter account summed up what every fan was thinking when the team was down 13 and Thibs had this lineup out there: Delon Wright, Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson. 

And it wasn’t just about that one weird lineup. It felt like Thibs was making some seriously strange calls when it mattered most. Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic even said, “Tom Thibodeau is indicting himself.” The crazy part is, a lineup nobody had ever seen before – Wright-McBride-Shamet-Hart-Towns – actually helped the Knicks get back in the game. So, was Thibs a secret genius, or did he just get bailed out after some dicey decisions?

The Knicks looked absolutely cooked, trailing by as much as 20 points. It felt like the series was slipping away. Then, in the third quarter, Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith – who’s been a beast for Indiana and killed it in Game 1 – went down with a nasty-looking ankle injury. He was initially questionable to return, and though he showed his toughness by eventually coming back, his brief absence seemed to crack the door open for New York. The live stats even showed the Knicks as a +8 during the period impacted by his injury. That felt like the “lifeline“ – a tiny chance.

And the Knicks, to their absolute credit, grabbed that chance and ran with it. This team, for the third time these playoffs, incredibly erased a 20-point deficit to win. The win makes the series 2-1, Pacers. Still, even with this incredible comeback victory, the way it unfolded has definitely raised more questions than answers about Thibodeau’s game management.

Knicks nation sounds off: Is Thibs a genius or just getting lucky?

If you scrolled through Knicks Twitter (or any Knicks fan forum, really) during and after the game, you’d see a fanbase that’s, let’s say, conflicted about their head coach, Tom Thibodeau.

The sentiment that Thibs’ old-school, grind-it-out style might be wearing thin isn’t new, but it reached a fever pitch during Game 3. One fan didn’t mince words: “i’m just gonna say it, Thibs’ coaching has run its course.” This isn’t just a random hot take. You hear this a lot when the offense bogs down or when Thibs seems to stick with certain guys for too long, almost regardless of how they’re playing.

Then there’s the classic Thibs head-scratcher: his substitution patterns, especially with his stars. Another fan zeroed in on a moment that had many yelling at their screens: “Thibs waiting till Knicks down 10 with 2 minutes left to sub KAT in” Thibs is known for riding his starters hard – sometimes really hard. So, when a key player like Karl-Anthony Towns (who, by the way, went off in the fourth to help win this game) isn’t on the floor during crucial stretches, or when Jalen Brunson is sitting with foul trouble and the offense looks lost, fans get antsy.

Even with the win, some fans are looking at the bigger picture and still aren’t sold on Thibs being the guy to take them all the way. The inconsistency is maddening for them: “Just to inconsistent bro, Knicks could win this series then get swepted in finals. Thibs gotta go lol.” This speaks to the rollercoaster ride that is being a Knicks fan under Thibs.

Of course, not everyone is ready to show Thibs the door. Some fans, while acknowledging the wild ride, are willing to give credit where it’s due, especially when unconventional moves somehow pay off. One fan pointed out the unexpected heroes and the coach’s gutsy calls: “Have to give Thibs credit too. Riding with JB on the bench in a deciding game is brave sh–” And another acknowledged the strange path to victory: “Thibs had the worst first half coaching of his life. Playing a deeper rotation and some foul trouble did keep the guys fresh at the end.”

That never-before-seen lineup of Wright-McBride-Shamet-Hart-Towns did spark the comeback. Was it a calculated risk based on freshness, or a desperate throw of the dice that happened to work out? It’s the kind of thing that makes covering Thibs so wild.

Ultimately, this Game 3 win, as thrilling as it was, probably won’t quiet the debate around Tom Thibodeau. As one fan put it, perfectly capturing the hopeful-but-skeptical Knicks experience: “I hope this win means Thibs learned his lesson and will play the bench more moving forward (he won’t but we can always hope)”