This stunning move came on the heels of the Knicks' playoff elimination at the hands of Rick Carlisle's Indiana Pacers during the Eastern Conference finals.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, who played a pivotal role in eliminating the Knicks, expressed his disbelief over Thibodeau's dismissal. “I initially thought it was one of those fake AI things,” Carlisle admitted when he first heard the news. During an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Carlisle elaborated on his surprise, highlighting Thibodeau's remarkable contribution to the Knicks' recent successes.

"I'm at a loss to explain it," Carlisle confessed. "It's the right of NBA ownerships to make these unilateral decisions, but it's still shocking. In our coaching career, we often face such dynamic and difficult aspects of the business."

Carlisle further acknowledged the transformation Thibodeau brought to the Knicks, noting, "The job that Tom did there after a lot of lean years... completely changed the culture. Consider the acquisition of Jalen Brunson; I doubt they would have secured him without Thibs. The team has improved progressively each year, advancing from the first round, to the second round, and then to the conference finals. You would think they were heading in the right direction for greater achievements. Hence, the firing was quite unexpected. Thibs, however, will be fine. He's highly respected and well-established in this league."

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Knicks' management felt the team should have defeated the Pacers and advanced to the NBA Finals. Shelburne emphasized that the collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals significantly influenced their decision. After the series loss, doubts arose about Thibodeau’s ability to lead the team to a championship in the future.

This development leaves the NBA community reflecting on the harsh realities and unpredictability of coaching careers, as well as the relentless pursuit of a championship that drives such decisions.