New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has faced the same criticism since he took over the Chicago Bulls in 2010: he plays his star players big minutes throughout the season, and that led to wear-and-tear come playoff time.
The Knicks caught fire in mid-December, winning nine straight games between Dec. 15 and Jan. 1, before hitting a skid with three consecutive losses in four days to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Bulls and Orlando Magic. The losses brought back some questions about how Thibodeau uses his rotation, but a few of the Knicks' top players aren't buying the criticism.
