Knicks' Tom Thibodeau Responds to Mikal Bridges Request

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had a surprising response to Mikal Bridges reported minutes discussion.

Mar 2, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau looks on from the sideline against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau didn't appear to have a minute to talk minutes.

Thibodeau addressed Mikal Bridges' reported concerns about minutes prior to Wednesday night's Knicks game against the Portland Trail Blazers (10 p.m. ET, MSG). According to a Wednesday report from Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Bridges said he spoke about to Thibodeau about his excessive workload on his starters but the Knicks boss denied such a conversation was staged.

“We never had a conversation about it," Thibodeau said, per James Edwards III of The Athletic. "The facts are the facts. Jalen is 20th or 21st in average minutes. [Karl-Anthony Towns] is below that. Your wings play more. They’re matched up against primary players.”

Thibs on Bridges’ comments to us about minutes earlier this morning: “We never had a conversation about it. The facts are the facts. Jalen is 20th or 21st in average minutes. KAT is below that. Your wings play more. They’re matched up against primary players.”

— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) March 13, 2025

Bondy reported that Bridges, the NBA's modern iron man, said that he brought up the idea of shrinking starter minutes and giving the Knicks' bench a larger opportunity. Bridges enters Wednesday night play as the NBA's leader in total minutes with teammate Josh Hart right behind him in second.

Edwards continued, reporting that Thibodeau reasoned that "wings have to match up with other teams’ wings, which are usually best players" and that defending illustrious wings such as LeBron James and Jayson Tatum with reserves was not a viable strategy.

Thibodeau has long been accused of relying too much on his starters ever since he rose to the top spot on an NBA bench. Despite Thibodeau's quick analysis of the minutes ledgers, Bridges and Hart lead the league in minutes per game at 37.8 while teammate OG Anunoby is sixth (36.6). Brunson ranks 19th while Towns is just outside of the top 20 but the former is still 10th in total minutes despite missing the last two games entirely with an ankle injury.

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