The biggest change to the New York Knicks’ roster last offseason? New coach Tom Thibodeau. And Thibodeau is proving to be about the only addition the Knicks needed.
As of Saturday morning, the Knicks (33-27) sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. One in-season addition, veteran point guard Derrick Rose, says he has a pretty good idea as to why — delivering credit to Thibodeau for adjusting his coaching style to fit the team’s needs.
“It shows that he’s improved as a coach. He’s already a great coach, but every year he’s improving and adjusting,” Rose told reporters. “That’s the big difference that I see with him this year. He’s giving guys more freedom to go out there and play the way they want. He’s being positive on the court.”
Thibodeau and the Knicks have won eight straight (entering Saturday). They are playing with the same intensity that Thibodeau displays in practice and during games. So the Knicks have become an extension of the coach.
“I take my hat off to that because there’s a lot of coaches — not to bring up names — but there’s a lot of coaches who don’t have that mentality,” Rose said.
Thibodeau and Rose were together with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. They know and respect each other well. And while Rose has undoubtedly been a big part of things in New York, the success has truly been a team-wide effort.
“I love our group. We have such a great group of guys that are all serious, hard-working, dedicated,” Thibodeau said. “You couldn’t ask for anything more as a coach.”
