Can there be trouble in paradise even after an electric win? The New York Knicks barely edged out the Portland Trail Blazers in a thrilling buzzer-beater finish. Mikal Bridges stepped up, drilling a dagger three and hitting his signature celebration. But despite the excitement, there’s a feeling that this high might not last long.

Why? Well, it seems like Tom Thibodeau and his players might not be on the same page. Thibodeau’s coaching style is no secret—he’s relentless, he pushes his starters to the limit, and he’ll do whatever it takes to win. But here’s the issue: Bridges admitted to having a private conversation with Thibs about his minutes. And right after the game? Thibodeau flat-out denied it.

“We never had a conversation,” he told the media. So, what’s really going on here? A simple miscommunication, or cracks forming behind the scenes?

It could just be a simple misunderstanding. But Tom Thibodeau is sticking to his point. He feels wing players such as Bridges need to be out on the floor the most because of their duties to guard the best player. It’s a fair explanation. However, Stephen A. Smith does feel the opposing views between the player and the coach could be harmful to the Knicks.

“Tom Thibodeau is in trouble. He is in a world of trouble,” he said on First Take. “Tom Thibodeau refused to acknowledge that there was a one-on-one conversation. He said it never happened… And here’s where Bridges has the credibility… He’s one of the iron men of the league. He’s always playing, he doesn’t miss games and he doesn’t play minimal minutes… When have we ever heard Mikal Bridge complain about anything let alone minutes,” he said.

Likewise, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith believes that Mikal Bridges isn’t just speaking for himself—he’s voicing what the whole team feels. But if Tom Thibodeau is outright denying the conversation ever happened, Smith thinks that’s a “bad sign” for the Knicks. And as for the Knicks fanbase? Well, they might just turn on Stephen A. altogether.

Knicks fans are tired of Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith has covered the NBA for decades, but when it comes to the Knicks, it’s personal. His love for the franchise runs deep, which often leads to passionate, emotional takes. But this time? Knicks fans think he’s stirring the pot for no reason.

“Just stop listening or watching First Take. ESPN as a whole is so awful now,” one frustrated fan wrote.

Now, to be fair, Smith’s argument isn’t completely out of left field. Mikal Bridges voiced concerns about his heavy workload, and Tom Thibodeau responded by playing him 41 minutes against the Blazers. That seems like a clear contradiction—except for one key detail: it was an overtime game.

“He probably didn’t have time to watch the whole game while in the middle of his “LeBron was mean to me” media tour,” a fan said about Smith. It alludes to his recent dispute with LeBron James as the Lakers star publicly confronted him over his son Bronny. But that’s not the point of discussion today.

There are legitimate concerns when it comes to the Knicks starting five in particular. One can understand Thibodeau’s wanting his wing players to play the majority of minutes. However, their entire starting five ranks in the top 25 players for minutes played per game. No other team in the NBA boasts such a statistic.

Even though that’s the case, there was no mercy for Stephen A. Smith. One fan berated him, saying “Is there a person with even half a brain that thinks Tom Thibodeau is “in trouble”? Lol. What is he talking about?”. In hindsight, it isn’t a major rift by any measure. Tom Thibodeau using his ideologies has led the Knicks to the third seed in the East so far.

Additionally, since Jalen Brunson’s injury, the need to play his best players has exponentially increased. That wasn’t taken into account by Stephen A. Smith. Furthermore, Bridges was also their most successful player tonight. That’s why fans think the only reason Smith is creating the narrative is to generate an audience. “Knicks for clicks man, we’ve been here before” a fan mentioned.

As much as the minutes’ issue might be a concern, Thibodeau has the players to buy in. Bridges’ suggestion seemed more titled to giving the bench players a chance to shine when they are playing well. He did say it’s physically taxing. But the Knicks are winning games. To Tom Thibodeau, that is his primary concern. And he is fulfilling his duties.