Towns was abandoned in the last quarter, Thibodeau s decision to employ people has caused controversy, and the Knicks are on the verge of being eliminated 0-2

On May 24, the second game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals was staged passionately at the Knicks' home court, but the Knicks lost to the Pacers 109-114, falling behind 0-2 with a big score, and the team was in jeopardy. After this game, Knicks head coach Thibodeau's decision to employ people was pushed to the forefront, especially his abandonment of Towns, which became the key cause of the team's loss. At the beginning of the game, the Pacers' Siakam was fully fired, scoring 5 goals in a row, scoring 16 points in a single quarter, helping the team to take the lead. On the Knicks' side, Towns' offense felt bad in the first quarter and missed only two attempts outside the three-point line. Entering the second quarter, Towns quickly adjusted his state, strengthened his strong attack in the inside, and scored 2+1 many times, scoring 12 points efficiently in a single quarter, helping the Knicks overtake the score. Throughout the first half, Towns showed the double threat of strong inside attack and three-point shooting, which made the Pacers' defense line exhausted.

The side changes again, and the two sides lead alternately, and the game enters a white-hot stage. But in the crucial fourth quarter, Thibodeau's employing strategy was shocking. Towns played 28 minutes in the game, 6 of 14 shots, 2 of 5 three-pointers, 6 of 6 free throws, scoring 20 points and 7 rebounds, with a plus-negative value of -20. This performance is not bad, but was pressed on the bench most of the last quarter. Thibodeau chose to send players such as Mitchell Robinson. He explained after the game that the team was behind at that time, and the lineup on the court gave him a chance to chase points, so he continued to use it.

But the reality is that after Towns got out, the Knicks had serious problems on both offense and defense. On the offensive end, without Towns' restraint, the Pacers were able to shrink the defense line, and the Knicks' offense was stagnant; on the defensive end, without Towns' defensive restraint in the inside, Siakam broke out completely. In the whole game, Siakam made 15 of 23 shots, 3 of 5 three-pointers, scored 39 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal, setting a record high for individual playoff scores. During the time when Towns was abandoned, Siakam felt like he was in a no-man state. He could easily score whether it was a mid-range single or a conversion attack, leading the Pacers to climax after wave and widen the score.

After this game, Thibodeau was criticized as a hot search in the United States. Famous vocalist Stephen A. Smith criticized him for cutting off his arms; Perkins bluntly stated that if the Pacers win the series, Thibodeau's decision would make him lose his job; Knicks Media directly blamed Thibodeau for the team's 0-2 behind. Now, the Knicks are on the edge of the cliff. If Thibodeau does not adjust his employing strategy and reactivates Towns in the next game, the team's journey this season may end early, and he himself will face huge pressure to be dismissed.