Tom Thibodeau has spent over three decades coaching in the NBA, climbing the ranks from an assistant in 1989 to an NBA champion with the Boston Celtics under Doc Rivers. Now, as head coach of the New York Knicks, his reputation is well-established: a defensive mastermind, a hard-nosed competitor, and a coach who leans heavily — sometimes excessively — on his starters.
The "Thibodeau workload" has long been a topic of debate, but this time, it’s not just fans and analysts questioning his methods — it’s one of his own players.
Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided’s daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend! If you don’t like it, share it with an enemy
Mikal Bridges speaks out
If anyone can handle heavy minutes, it’s Mikal Bridges. The Knicks forward holds the NBA’s active "iron man" streak for most consecutive games played and has never missed a game in his career. But even Bridges, known for his durability, is feeling the toll.
“Sometimes it's not fun on the body," Bridges said, per SNY’s Ian Begley. "You'll want that as a coach, but I also talked to him [Thibodeau] a little bit, knowing that we've got a good enough team where our bench guys can come in, and we don't need to play 48 [minutes], 47.”
Bridges leads the entire NBA in total minutes played (2,420) and has suited up for all 64 Knicks games this season. His Villanova teammates, Josh Hart (second) and Jalen Brunson (ninth), also rank among the league’s top 10 in minutes played, but Bridges is nearly 100 minutes ahead of Hart.
His comments mark a rare instance of a Thibodeau-coached player speaking publicly about the wear and tear of heavy minutes — a red flag, considering the Knicks’ precarious situation heading into the playoffs.
The Thibodeau Stigma: A history of heavy minutes
Thibodeau’s minute-heavy approach isn’t new. It’s followed him from team to team, with history often repeating itself. One of the most infamous moments linked to his coaching style came in the 2012 playoffs when Derrick Rose tore his ACL while still on the court in the final minutes of a blowout. Many critics argue Rose should have been on the bench, considering the game was already decided. That injury altered the trajectory of his career, and it remains a cautionary tale about Thibodeau’s reluctance to ease up on his starters.
Thibodeau took this same approach to Minnesota, where Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins led the NBA in total minutes played in 2016-17, and both finished in the top 10 again the following season. Even after he moved on to the Knicks, his coaching style remained unchanged. Julius Randle has routinely ranked among the league’s top five in minutes played in recent years, only for injuries to impact his postseason availability during his tenure with New York.
Now, Bridges is the latest player to experience Thibodeau’s high-minute philosophy firsthand, and for the first time, he’s voicing concerns about its sustainability.
The Knicks’ bench dilemma: No relief in sight
Bridges’ concern highlights a larger issue: New York’s lack of bench production. The Knicks rank dead last in bench minutes (12.3 per game) and are also 30th in bench scoring (21.5 points per game). The gap between them and other teams is significant, with their bench scoring nearly four points fewer than the next-worst team. This means their rotation is as top-heavy as any in the league, forcing starters to absorb a massive workload night in and night out.
One major reason for this has been the Knicks’ struggles with injuries. They have rarely been at full strength this season, which has only added pressure on the starters. Landry Shamet spent time recovering from shoulder surgery, and Mitchell Robinson missed months before finally making his return. The lack of available players has forced Thibodeau to lean even harder on his core group, making an already demanding system even more grueling.
Even when players have returned to full health, Thibodeau has been hesitant to expand the rotation. Time and time again, Knicks fans have watched starters play extended minutes even in games where the outcome was already decided. Whether it’s a 20-point lead late in the fourth quarter or a blowout loss, Thibodeau rarely deviates from his approach, which has raised concerns about fatigue and potential injuries as the playoffs approach.
What comes first: An adjustment or a breaking point?
With the playoffs looming, the Knicks face a critical question: Will Thibodeau finally trust his bench, or will his starters continue to shoulder an unsustainable burden?
If history is any indicator, change is unlikely. Thibodeau has built a career on his hard-nosed, high-minute approach, and despite concerns from players like Bridges, he has yet to show signs of altering his ways. But if more players begin to speak out — or worse, injuries pile up — the Knicks may be forced to make an adjustment before it’s too late.
For now, the decision rests with Thibodeau. The only question is whether he’ll course-correct in time — or stick to his guns until the Knicks run out of gas.