Just two days after falling short in the Eastern Conference Finals, Jalen Brunson and several Knicks stars were spotted out on the town. Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and P.J. Tucker hit The Fleur Room in Chelsea on Monday night, not far from Madison Square Garden, per TheSun. The mood? Loose. Smiling. Celebratory.

Photos captured the group enjoying themselves despite Saturday’s season-ending 125-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Brunson and Towns posed side by side. Hart flashed a grin. Tucker raised a bottle in one hand and held a mic in the other while standing near the DJ booth. The vibe was pure offseason relief. Bridges, Tucker, and Hart appeared relaxed while chatting at a table.

They weren’t alone. Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah was seen greeting Bridges. Knicks legend Latrell Sprewell shared a moment with Hart. Even Busta Rhymes showed up to add star power. If you didn’t know the team had just been eliminated, you’d think it was a victory celebration.

Article Continues Below
More Celebrity News
Michael Beasley, Lance Stephenson
Michael Beasley confirms the legends, defeats Lance Stephenson 1v1 for $100kBurtland Dixon ·
John Cena fires up the crowd during the WWE Fastlane pro wrestling event Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
John Cena shockingly makes light of R-Truth’s WWE exitMatty Breisch ·
K.J. Lattimore, son of R&B stars Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore, is a recent graduate of Lincoln University of Pennsylvania.
Kenny Latimore & Chanté Moore’s son graduates from an HBCUKiya Wimbush-Robinson ·
Ric Flair exclaims his trademark WOOO at his Last Match press conference at the Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, June 23, 2022. Ric Flair Last Match Press Conference
WWE news: Ric Flair confirms second cancer diagnosis in 3 yearsBurtland Dixon ·
NBA agent Rich Paul talks on the phone prior to the game between the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center.
Rich Paul believes when it comes to competition, ‘there is none’Burtland Dixon ·
NL Rookie of the Year, Paul Skenes, Livvy Dunne
Livvy Dunne reveals pitch she ‘taught’ boyfriend Paul SkenesBurtland Dixon ·

Party hours before Thibodeau's exit

What makes the timing more eye-opening is what happened the next morning. Just hours after the party, the Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau. The coach, who guided New York to its first conference finals appearance in 25 years, was not at the party. Judging by the cheerful expressions captured in the photos, it didn’t seem like the players saw it coming either.

Team president Leon Rose said in a statement that the organization was grateful for Thibodeau’s leadership but was moving in a new direction. “We are singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,” Rose said. “We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach.”

The party may have marked the end of an era, but it also hinted at a new one. Brunson and his teammates weren’t sulking. They were recharging. And in New York, that’s how the comeback starts.