Like me, if you listen to Tom Thibodeau long enough, you wonder if there was ever a moment when he sat back and celebrated his accomplishments. After all, God also rested on the seventh day.
But as the coach often repeats in his book, Mindsetism, it's hard to relax when “everything is a concern.”
So on Thursday night, right after the Knicks beat the defending champions for their fifth straight win and, by the way, really obliterated the Nuggets, Thibodeau was already worried that he would overlook the underdogs down the road.
“I know for you guys, it's something.” [that we beat the defending champs]'' he said in the postgame press conference, later adding, “I just let my guard down a little bit. Everybody tends to look at schedules like, 'We have to win this game.' There's no such thing as “just win.” You have to win. No one can be ignored. The challenge is to continue to build yourself and not be satisfied with yourself. ”
Therapists may disagree with this, but it sounds like a miserable existence. But as long as the players buy in, it works in the NBA. And for three and a half seasons, Thibodeau, the longest-serving head coach on the Knicks sideline since Mike D'Antoni, has pushed enough of the right buttons to keep the roster interesting. and his employment in the most precarious position.
Of course, it helps when unofficial captain Jalen Brunson is on the same page and focused. If Taj Gibson suddenly developed superstar skills, Thibodeau could only ask for a better, more compatible leader.
But it was more than the tenacity and preparation that defined Thibodeau's career. Knicks is trying hard, but he's not just trying. They are a product of development, a plug-and-play system that maximizes performance up and down the roster. Almost seven weeks ago, we wondered if New York's defense would crumble without Mitchell Robinson. That wasn't the case. Then I wondered if Isaiah Hartenstein's Achilles soreness would ruin the good atmosphere. That wasn't the case.
Plug and play. While I understand the reluctance to fully believe in Thisbs or sign him to an extension until he has success in the playoffs (his 31-41 record in the postseason is a career pockmark), I've heard more from different coaches. It is difficult to expect good results.
The Knicks acquired him from the Raptors. charles wenzelberg
I've always maintained that the hallmark of the best NBA coaches is winning with different roster iterations and pushing the ceiling of young role players. Erik Spoelstra, whose Heat and Knicks play Saturday at MSG, isn't the best NBA coach, as he won two titles with LeBron James. He's the best because he made Hassan Whiteside look like a star and made Tyler Johnson worthy of a $50 million contract.
I'm not denying Steve Kerr's accomplishments, but we saw what happened when he didn't have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant — the Warriors that season. It was 15 wins and 50 losses. Gregg Popovich is the smartest guy in any room (just ask him), but his record since Tim Duncan retired is 285-312.
Thibodeau finished fourth in the East three years ago with a rotation that included Elfrid Payton, Nerlens Noel, Gibson, Derrick Rose, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Alec Burks and Reggie Bullock.
They are all gone. Three of them are outside the league. In fact, of the Knicks' 12 players who played in the 2021 playoffs, only one is still on the roster.
Julius Randle.
that's it.
Now, Thibodeau's team is back in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and surging with a group that has reconsidered its ceiling, both collectively and individually.
Players up and down the roster are enjoying productive seasons.
Branson? The best of his career.
Randall? It has evolved to become even more efficient.
OG Anunoby? It's a small sample size, but it's the best of his career.
Hartenstein? The best of his career.
Robinson? It was the best performance of his career until he got injured.
Donte DiVincenzo? The best of his career.
None of this can happen without the guidance of a great and relentlessly focused coach.
