Tom Thibodeau has gained extra video games with the Knicks than 12 of his 13 most up-to-date predecessors coached.
Tuesday evening’s 105-91 victory over the 76ers at Madison Sq. Backyard tied Thibodeau with Pat Riley for fourth in franchise historical past with 223 wins and strikes him inside arm’s attain of Jeff Van Gundy (248) for third within the franchise document e book.
“All that particular person stuff, it’s a byproduct of getting nice gamers, and also you share that together with your staff,” Thibodeau stated earlier than tipoff. “I clearly have nice respect for Pat Riley and positively Jeff, and what they’ve finished of their careers. The historical past of the franchise — while you take a look at the nice gamers, organizationally what it represents — it’s an honor to be right here.”
Thibodeau nonetheless hasn’t led the Knicks again to the Japanese Convention finals as his fifth season nears the playoffs, however he has finished the seemingly not possible and offered stability the place it as soon as was sorely missing.
“It’s large,” Knicks ahead Josh Hart stated of Thibodeau’s regular presence. “Everytime you undergo a training carousel, it’s exhausting to develop guys and it’s exhausting to have guys get away. Having that stability is large for the gamers, however it’s additionally large for the group and followers to essentially have one thing to construct round and cheer for.”
In that regard, this marriage truly is a two-way avenue.
By the tip of this week — after a two-game street journey to face the Cavaliers and Hawks — Thibodeau may have coached extra video games for the Knicks (395) than he did for the Bulls, who gave him his first shot to guide in 2010 after a 21-year tenure as an NBA assistant. His in-between stint guiding the Timberwolves lasted a comparatively transient 204 video games, so the Knicks have given him stability, too.
“I do know what this staff means to the town, having grown up in Connecticut and being a Knick fan,” Thibodeau stated. “We’ve got to proceed to do it daily.”
The place have these Knicks taken on Thibodeau’s persona?
“That aggressive nature. That’s there,” Hart stated. “Clearly, an 82-game season, he does an important job — [with] the eye to element and preparation.”
“Competitors” is precisely what drew Thibodeau into teaching within the first place, after his taking part in profession ended at Salem State.
“You get to the purpose the place you like the sport so that you ask your self, ‘What’s subsequent?’ ” Thibodeau stated not too long ago. “If you’re not a professional participant, you assume, ‘Teaching [and] instructing.’ I at all times beloved that facet. My coaches and academics had the most important affect, outdoors of my household.”
The directive from Thibodeau’s mother and father to all 5 siblings was the identical: Pursue your ardour.
{That a} son’s ardour was the identical as his father’s was no coincidence after Tom Sr. fell in love with basketball as a pupil at St. Bonaventure and later introduced his son on an annual pilgrimage to New York to see a Bonnies sport and a Knicks sport.
It sparked what turned a profession of early mornings, late nights and check-ins with the daddy who confirmed him the best way.
“It was simply extra assist,” Thibodeau stated. “As soon as I made a decision that’s what I wished to do, he inspired me all alongside the best way, like all father or mother. There are going to be bumps within the street. You might not have season. [He’d ask], ‘What did you study from it? How are you rising? How do you get higher?’ ”
Thibodeau’s Knicks have a .567 successful proportion.
That’s the finest since one other period that he was part of — as one in every of Van Gundy’s assistants (.590 from 1996-2002).
Of the 13 coaches who adopted, solely Mike D’Antoni lasted greater than 190 video games, and solely Don Nelson (34-25) and Mike Woodson (109-79) had successful data.
Credit score the success to the work ethic that he developed as a longtime assistant and shared with others.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was a not too long ago retired participant beginning out as director of basketball improvement with the Celtics when Thibodeau was an assistant in 2009-10.
A couple of years later, when Lue was employed by the Clippers as an assistant, he watched all of Thibodeau’s previous training-camp movies to study defensive terminology and preserve the system the identical for head coach Doc Rivers because it was below Thibodeau’s watch in Boston.
“We might meet daily at 5:15 a.m. — when most guys are going to sleep — after which go proper to movie,” Lue stated. “Understanding how he used to interrupt it down, what was his counter, what was his considering. He did loads for me — instructing me the exhausting work a part of it, but additionally what to search for and the way he introduced issues.”
The Knicks are reaping the rewards with one other 50-win season in sight.
