Tom Thibodeau May Be Stubborn, but His Methods Are Paying Off

For the first time in decades, the New York Knicks are enjoying a period of relevance in the NBA. In the last five years they have had a .565 winning percentage with this season being their best yet at 51 wins. New York just upset the defending champion Boston Celtics to make their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years. Fans are understandably ready to crown Jalen Brunson as the king of New York, but the one person who’s proving his worth again is head coach Tom Thibodeau. Though criticized for his stubbornness at times, Thibodeau has done a remarkable job in what has been a memorable year. With the Knicks set to host the conference finals, here’s how Thibodeau’s stubbornness could also be his greatest asset. 

There is no doubt Thibodeau has been the best coach for the Knicks in the last 20 years. During his five years, he has accumulated 226 wins which is fourth most in team history, three playoff series wins, and the 2021 Coach of the Year. Thibodeau’s no-nonsense approach, which is centered around grit and toughness, has formed an identity that has captured the hearts of almost all New Yorkers. Despite general manager Leon Rose’s willingness to routinely tinker the roster, Thibodeau continues to get the most out of every player on the team. 

Defense is where some of Thibodeau’s best work happens on the court. His schemes and preparation enable him to get every ounce of effort from his players. It is why the Knicks have been one of the league's stingiest defenses throughout his time in New York ever since Thibodeau arrived. However, he has also gotten plenty of individual production from players on the offensive end. He is capable of utilizing their skill sets, from Josh Hart becoming a triple double machine, to OG Anunoby’s career high 18 points a game. His coaching style has earned admiration from players such as Jalen Brunson, who has put together the most successful resume out of any Knicks player in Thibodeau’s tenure. 

“Individually, he’s meant a lot to my career,” Brunson said a couple weeks ago. “As a team, we’re always in a position where we can compete in the postseason since I’ve been here.”

But with Thibodeau’s approach comes some stubbornness. Some fans now see it as a roadblock if the Knicks are serious about competing for an NBA Championship. His eight man rotation has raised questions on whether the starters will be worn out come playoff time. However, Thibodeau likely saw this as necessary because the team traded lots of draft capital for the talents of Karl Anthony-Towns and Mikal Bridges. He used the regular season as a chance to get the starters used to playing with each other, and while it has arguably weakened an already flawed bench, the starting lineup is beginning to gel at the right time.

​The amount of crucial minutes from the starters in the regular season has put them in a position where they are capable of executing in the final minutes. All of the team’s close playoff wins have resulted from everyone’s newfound experience playing with one another. 

His continued trust in players is also very evident. Some fans were pushing Thibodeau to sit Josh Hart for Mitchell Robinson because the Knicks’ starting lineup was struggling for most of the series. Yet Thibodeau’s decision to keep Hart in the lineup resulted in him having a triple double during the team’s game 6 victory. 

The in-game lineups will be interesting to see going forward because there are other instances where this has hurt the team. This could be a problem against the Pacers, who are also a tall team. Thibodeau’s management of the rotation will be interesting to see against a very deep team. 

Personally, I think that despite all the credit players like Brunson get, it’s easy to forget the Knicks wouldn’t be this good again without Thibodeau. He’s elevated them to the point where they are actually expected to be among the league’s elite teams. While his stubborn approach can sometimes draw ire from fans, this year’s playoffs has proved why Thibodeau likes sticking to his methods. The question is whether it will be sustainable.