RJ Barrett injured after the match was lost? Tom Thibodeau defends his choice | NBA

In the NBA, and in New York probably more than elsewhere, things can go very quickly.

Elected MIP and All-Star and member of the second All-NBA Team in 2021, Julius Randle can attest to this. Ditto for Tom Thibodeau, meanwhile named Coach of the Year in 2021 and also now very criticized at “Big Apple”, since the start of the season.

The Knicks coach has also suffered a new round of criticism since last night, because of his rotations. It’s not the first time ‘Thibs’ has been scolded for his coaching and this time it’s not about Kemba Walker, Cam Reddish or the composition of his starting lineup, it’s about the injury to RJ Barrett .

In “back-to-back” with the Nuggets, the Canadian actually injured his left ankle, stepping on the foot of Davon Reed, in the last 30 seconds of the game. A classic physical glitch but which, in this specific case, could have been avoided if Tom Thibodeau had resolved to take out his starting back/winger earlier.

A preventable injury?

It must be said that the match was folded and that Denver, well ahead at this time of the fourth quarter (130-115), was quietly heading for victory against New York. Julius Randle and Evan Fournier had gone out a few moments earlier.

Historically known for relying heavily on its incumbents (sometimes a little too much), whether in Chicago, Minnesota or now New York, Tom Thibodeau seems to be struggling to depart from his reputation. Even if the main New York players play on average a little less than last season.

Necessarily questioned after the meeting on his choice to play RJ Barrett until the end of the meeting, when he had just played 39 minutes against the Grizzlies (last Wednesday), 50 minutes against the Lakers (Saturday evening), 43 minutes against the Jazz (Monday evening) then 35 minutes this Tuesday evening, the Knicks coach defended his choice.

” He spent most of the fourth quarter on the bench so I put him back in the game at -13 as I wanted to see if we could get a ‘run’ with him “, was he justified thus, even if he could have released his best elements 1 minute 30 from the end of the game, when the Nuggets took a final time-out (at 130-113).

Julius Randle defends his coach

For his part, among the most prominent New York players in Colorado, Julius Randle (28 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists) wanted to defend his coach in a post-game interview.

” [Tom Thibodeau] is our leader, I trust him completely, because I am one of his soldiers“, confided the All-Star interior. ” If he wants me to play 48 minutes, I will play 48 minutes. If he wants me to play 20 minutes, I will play 20 minutes. I don’t care about the rest. It is he who decides and I will content myself with doing what he asks. It doesn’t matter what other people think. I’ll let you debate the rest [la question de faire jouer les titulaires quand le match]because I only focus on what is happening in our locker room.“

Returned to the locker room a little earlier than his teammates, crushed by a Denver team in collective demonstration, RJ Barrett (18 points) did not speak at a press conference. Now, the Knicks are waiting to learn more about his condition.

” I spoke to him briefly. He seemed fine, but I can’t say anything more until [les médecins] didn’t review it “, finally explained Tom Thibodeau, whose team is sinking into the Eastern Conference, with its 10 defeats conceded in its last 12 games…