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Knicks Legend Sends Strong Tom Thibodeau Message Before Game 6 vs. Celtics

The New York Knicks and head coach Tom Thibodeau will have another chance to close out their playoff series against the Boston Celtics on Friday night in Game 6.

After getting blown out in Game 5 by a final score of 127-102, the Knicks will be back playing in front of the home crowd at Madison Square Garden.

It's not an elimination game, but heading back to Boston for a winner-take-all Game 7 would not be an ideal scenario.

Thibodeau has been receiving a lot of criticism over the last couple of years about the numbers of minutes he plays his key players. At times, it looks like those players are worn down and tired come playoff time. Injuries have also been a concern.

New York will need all of their main pieces to step up in Game 6. Fans can only hope that the Knicks are up to the challenge.

Ahead of Game 6, a New York legend Charles Oakley spoke out with a strong message about Thibodeau. He defended the head coach for the minutes criticism he has received.

“You want to win, you [have to] put the best guys out there [that] give you a chance to win," Oakley said. "Yeah, you gotta make a sub here and there, but in the playoffs you should be playing 38-42 minutes because you’ve got a system you’re trying to run and you want to make sure that all [the] guys know their roles and where to rotate to and help to get back. Thibs’ been around for a while. He understands that you gotta stay engaged. You gotta know what’s going on at all times.”

Since taking over as the Knicks' head coach, Thibodeau has led the team to a 226-174 record. They have made the playoffs in four out of the five years he has been with the team.

Game 6 will tip off at 8 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN. Thibodeau can take a lot of pressure off his shoulders by leading New York to a win and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Should the Knicks lose, Game 7 would be played on Monday night.

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