Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff rips Knicks for firing Tom Thibodeau

Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks sent J.B.Bickerstaff into offseason mode earlier than he wanted, yet the Pistons’ coach is still sticking up for his former colleague.Bickerstaff joined the growing list of those criticizing the Knicks for moving on from Thibodeau after five seasons following their ouster in the Eastern Conference finals.While Bickerstaff did not specifically mention the franchise, his remarks came after being asked how the Knicks firing Thibodeau and seeking permission to talk to employed coaches is resonating across the NBA.“I don’t want to call it the cherry on top, but it’s the final straw, I think, of what has happened this season and the level of respect that we feel coaches deserve versus what they are getting,” Bickerstaff said on ESPN Radio’s “Joe & Q” on Friday.“Some of the decisions made down the stretch with firing coaches, it just shows that there are some places that don’t value what coaching is and what it can bring.

When you are a coach, you feel like there is a job that you have been told to do.And when you go out and do that job well, you should carry it over to the next year.

If you have had past successes, that should envision future successes.You can’t guess what the future is going to look like with somebody new.”The Knicks’ parting ways with Thibodeau has been a hotly debated topic, although there have been some notable names recently saying the Knicks made a mistake.Charles Barkley said the Knicks are the “stupidest damn people,” Dick Vitale called the situation “embarrassing” and suggested they actually re-hire Thibodeau and ESPN analyst and former NBA coach P.J.

Carlesimo said the Knicks are their own worst enemy and believe they’re smarter than everyone else.The timing of this firing has confused some since the Knicks axed the veteran coach after the franchise’s first conference finals run in 25 years and following a fourth playoff berth in five years.Bickerstaff, whose Pistons fell to t...