Jalen Brunson was stunned at the question.

After the Knicks lost the Eastern Conference Finals in six games to the Indiana Pacers, Brunson was asked if he had confidence that Tom Thibodeau was the right man to coach the team going forward.

“Is that a real question right now?” the Knicks’ captain told reporters following New York’s 125-108 loss at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. “You just asked me if I believe if he’s the right guy. Yes.”

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle credited Thibodeau with changing the team’s culture since he was hired in 2020.

“He’s turned the culture completely flipped from what it was,” he said.

Last summer, Thibodeau and the franchise agreed to a three-year extension that will keep him with the team through the 2027-28 season.

ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins had Thibodeau on the “hot seat” entering the Eastern Conference semifinals, but the coach engineered an upset of the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics that included not one, but two comebacks from 20 points down.

In taking the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, Thibodeau exceeded expectations this year and got the team one round further than a year ago.

Still, it was a bittersweet ending for Brunson and his teammates.

“It sucks, simple as that,” Brunson said. “It sucks.”

“It hurts not to bring an opportunity to the city for a championship,” Karl-Anthony Towns said.

Changes could be coming to the Knicks roster. Some have speculated that they could make a play for Giannis Antetokounmpo and could use Towns and Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal.

“That’s what’s disappointing the most, knowing that there’s a good chance that this team might not be back in totality,” Josh Hart said.

Still, Brunson believes the team can return to this level next season and go further.

“The most confidence,” he said. “Overconfident. Seriously. There’s not an ounce of any type of doubt that I’m not confident with this group.”

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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter and Basketball Insider for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.