Tom Thibodeau Defends Decision to Keep Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart Sidelined Late in Game 5

The Knicks lost Game 5 to the Pistons, with Brunson and Hart on the sideline for much of the final three minutes.

The Knicks lost Game 5 to the Pistons / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks had a chance to close out their first-round series against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night and failed to take advantage. With Game 5 at Madison Square Garden and a 3-1 series lead, the Knicks lost, 106-103, as the Pistons fought desperately to live another day.

Detroit may have been aided in those efforts by one decision from Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson and utility forward Josh Hart were forced to sub out at the 2:57 mark of the fourth quarter; the Knicks trailed, 97-95, at the time. Soon after the pair were ready to return to the game, but were forced to stand at the scorer's table for a long while waiting for a break in the action. That didn't end up coming until there were 27 seconds left in the game and by that point the Pistons had extended their lead to six.

Afterwards Thibodeau was asked why he didn't call use the Knicks' final timeout to get Brunson and Hart back in.

"Just where we were with our timeouts," he said. "Coach's decision."

"Just where we were with our timeouts. Coach's decision."

Tom Thibodeau was asked about the Knicks not using a timeout near the end of the game with Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson waiting to check in at the scorer's table: pic.twitter.com/3xG6IOOlvk

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There would have been plenty of risk that came along with calling the team's final timeout to get Brunson and Hart back in, and in most circumstances they wouldn't have had to wait nearly as long for a foul or out-of-bounds call to sub back in. But unfortunately for the Knicks there were no stoppages in play and Thibodeau decided having that last timeout was more important than anything.

It proved costly. The Knicks were unable to bridge the gap without two of their starters, including their best player, and the timeout ended up worthless. But hindsight is always 20/20.

The Knicks head back to Detroit to take on the Pistons in Game 6 on Thursday with a 3-2 series lead.

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