CLEVELAND, Ohio — The game isn’t waiting anymore. On Tuesday, Tom Thibodeau became the latest coach to learn that lesson the hard way.

Yes, it was surprising. This is a coach who led the Knicks to back-to-back 50-win seasons. Four playoff series wins in the last three years, when the franchise had managed just one since 2000 before Thibodeau arrived.

Players vouched for him. Reports painted a locker room that still believed in his leadership. And yet, here we are. Thibodeau is out.

No matter how many games you win, how much your players vouch for you, or how much credibility you’ve earned — if your philosophy doesn’t evolve with the modern NBA, you’re on borrowed time.

Because now, it’s not just about results. It’s about how you get them.

Thibodeau’s stubbornness with starter-heavy

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