Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau, known for his rigidity, had to change something.
The Knicks starters had been listless in the first half of Game 2 of their playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. The starting five had combined to hit only four field goals in the first two quarters. He had benched his point guard but the Knicks still trailed by 13 points at halftime. Madison Square Garden, packed with fans again, was restless.
So Thibodeau pulled out a surprise, something he is typically hesitant to do. He opened the second half with two lineup changes, sending out Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson, both of whom had kept the Knicks in the game to that point.