**Pacers' Rick Carlisle Stunned by Knicks' Decision to Fire Tom Thibodeau**

In a surprising move that sent ripples through the NBA, the New York Knicks have parted ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau, a decision that has left Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle in disbelief. Speaking at a pre-NBA Finals press conference, Carlisle expressed his shock and admiration for Thibodeau's contributions to the Knicks.

"Thibs went in and changed so much. You look at all that and what happened yesterday, I thought [the news] was one of those fake AI things," Carlisle commented. "No way. No way possible. I know how the players feel about him, too."

The Pacers had recently beaten the Knicks in six games during the Eastern Conference finals, bringing an end to Thibodeau's five-year tenure with the team. Despite the playoff loss, Thibodeau's record with the Knicks stood at an impressive 226-174 in the regular season, making the postseason in four out of five seasons.

Carlisle is confident that Thibodeau will not remain jobless for long. "Teams and ownership can make these decisions unilaterally and it's their right to do that. Tom will certainly be fine. I don't think he's going to have any problem finding his next job. It's just going to depend on when he's ready to jump back in. I have great respect for Thibs. I go back with him a very long way. I was surprised," Carlisle remarked.

As the Knicks embark on their search for a new head coach, names like Johnnie Bryant and Jay Wright have cropped up. However, Carlisle believes leading the Knicks is one of the toughest gigs in basketball. "The Knicks have such a unique situation with so much attention and such a large fan base and such a worldwide following," he said. "It's one of the most difficult jobs to take. The guys that have been most successful - Red Holzman, Pat Riley, Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Pitino - had a short run but a very effective run. And then, there were a lot of lean years."

Carlisle's Pacers are gearing up for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, tipping off on Thursday night.