To the outside world, meaning those NBA fans who watch the game, including teams outside of their own, the Knicks look legitimate. The team is finally out of the headlines for institutional ineptitude, terrible trades, and whiffed draft picks. Instead, the Knicks have reached the playoffs for the second time in three seasons under head coach Tom Thibodeau. But when you dive into the Knicks fan community, there is a schism caused by Thibodeau, devoid of nuance, middle ground, and patience.
Early in the season, I was one of the loudest voices advocating for Thibodeau to be fired.