In the aftermath of the Knicks' Game 5 loss to the Pistons, fans and analysts are left questioning coach Tom Thibodeau's decisions, particularly regarding his handling of player substitutions and timeouts. Key player Jalen Brunson was noticeably absent during critical seconds as the team lost the lead late in the game. Thibodeau's choice to withhold a crucial timeout instead of reintroducing Brunson and another player, Josh Hart, is seen as a defining moment of the series. Critics argue that better game management might have altered the outcome, possibly leading to a Game 6.
I'm not sure that the Knicks wouldn't be playing in a Game 6 in Detroit Thursday night anyway, instead of starting to prepare for a conference semifinal series against Boston, if Thibodeau had used his timeout earlier.
The sight of Brunson stranded on the sideline as the game slipped away was so bizarre that it will become the defining moment of this series if the Knicks don't advance to the next round.
Thibodeau desperately cling to his final timeout, a decision that would turn his most available life raft into an anchor that would drag the team down.
Hart went to the locker room and Brunson limped to the bench. A minute later, with the Knicks trailing by six after a Cade Cunningham bucket with 1:57 left made the score 101-95, both walked back to the scorer's table, waiting to check in.
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