Open season on Thibodeau

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is fair game when it comes to criticism on his postseason performance.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is a lot of things, but one thing you can’t say is he’s not stupid.

He knows what’s going on. He hears criticism of his coaching. He knows about people harping on his postseason record. He is always defensive when someone mentions that he overworks his players, which makes them ineffective in the playoffs. He spent plenty of time defending his team all year. He understands there is a referendum on him this postseason.

If Thibs didn’t know better, he would think he’s coaching for his job.

I don’t think he is in danger of losing his job despite what SNY’s Ian Begley said recently on his podcast. He has a great working relationship with Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose and Knicks owner James Dolan. At Madison Square Garden, that matters more than results.

But Thibodeau knows he has to do better as a coach in the postseason.

No one can argue about his work in the regular season. He won 998 games as a regular-season coach, and he passed Pat Riley for fourth place on the Knicks' all-time coaching wins list by recording his 224th win in the team’s 121-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on April 5. He should pass Jeff Van Gundy for being third on the franchise’s all-time coaching list next season after finishing this season with 226 regular-season wins.

But his 38-47 postseason record stands out the most. In New York, teams, players, and coaches are judged by postseason results. This is a city that grades on whether or not a championship is won.

Some Knicks fans expressed frustration that Thibodeau can’t get his team past the second round.

It started last season when the Knicks lost Game 7 to the Indiana Pacers at home in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They were the better team against a young team that had never experienced the playoffs before, and they were blown out 130-109.

The Knicks appeared tired against a young, hungry team wanting to prove a point. This is where fans started wondering if Thibodeau overworking his players in the regular season played a role in all this. This is where he lost some of the fans.

If the Knicks flame out early in the playoffs, criticism will continue to grow.

When the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns this offseason, it was a message that the goal is to win an NBA championship.

The team had its highest franchise win total for the first time in 12 years at 51, yet it appears it has been an underachieving season in so many ways. Guys struggled to defend, and there seemed to be a lack of grit and cohesion at times.

Yes, injuries played a role in all this, but you don’t need to be James Naismith to know this team doesn’t have it. You can’t teach grit and heart to a team, and you can’t buy it either.

No one is scared to play the Knicks in the playoffs. That’s the ultimate insult. Teams can shoot 3s against them with no consequences. Teams can be physical and receive no blowback.

There’s a reason the Detroit Pistons are a trendy pick to beat the Knicks in their first-round matchup. There’s a reason the Knicks went 0-10 against the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Oklahoma City Thunder this season.

It’s on Thibodeau to coach them up. We haven’t seen that in the playoffs. It’s great that he does this in the regular season, but that doesn’t result in championships.

It’s fair to question him after what happened last year in Game 7. The Knicks should have played the Celtics last year in the Eastern Conference Final at the bare minimum.

Coaching matters come postseason, and too often, Thibodeau falls short.

The roster may not be tough enough, but the talent is there to go far. If the Knicks can’t get past the Pistons, Thibodeau is fair game when it comes to assessing what they should do to improve.

He is certainly fair game for criticism. That’s how it works in New York. It’s a bottom-line city that wants championships.

Ask managers and coaches such as Aaron Boone, John Tortorella, Alain Vigneault, Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette, and others about what happens if they don’t achieve the ultimate goal.

Maybe Thibs’ job performance would work well in small-market cities. Sacramento would love to have his success, but New York is a big-market city that demands plenty when prices for games are so high and attention is magnified.

Thibodeau can only shut his critics up by having the Knicks in the conference final every year.

This year is a good place to start.