Chicago bulls head coach tom thibodeaus guide to playoff. September 22, 2016 embedded below is a defensive system tape put together by jeff van gundy and his coaching staff which included tom thibodeau andsteve clifford, and in the late 1990s with the new york knicks. Thibodeau has a belief and a defensive system that shooting long 2s is the goal, yet he has an offense that renders those exact same shots. Though similar, thibodeau s defensive system in chicago is a bit different than the one he installed as a defensive assistant in boston. They didnt get the bump in defense as the timberwolves finished the season with a defensive.
Embedded below is a defensive system tape put together by jeff van gundy and his coaching staff which included tom thibodeau andsteve. He is often credited with being the first coach to fully. Lets spin back to what those cumbersome defensive tactics looked like before jumping into what has begun to evolve. A lot of coaches like to run the same schemes every year. What will timberwolves offense look like under tom thibodeau. Its an excellent article in which mason delves a lot into thibodeau s philosophy and system of play.
Thibodeau deserves ample praise for the construction and maintenance of a stifling defensive system, but its joakim noah and taj gibson who help take onpaper masterwork to onastring potency. Instead they are struggling to execute his trademark defensive scheme. Karlanthony towns on nba unicorns, minnesotas minutes gap, and learning tom thibodeau s defense the timberwolves big man joined the j. In his stints as an associate head coach in boston and head coach in chicago, tom thibodeau made his name and his career with a set of genuinely smart and hugely influential defensive. Because the system in thibodeau s first two seasons was, in fact, old school. With just two days remaining in the nba season, it now seems safe to fill out the ballot for this years league awards. Tyus jones leads nba pgs in a defensive stat tom thibodeau. Jason lancasters answer gives a thorough overview of the things thibodeau s defenses do well. Thibodeau firing shows new challenge for old school. There is a good chance that tom thibodeau is going to be a serious candidate, if not the man, to coach the knicks next season. Thibodeau brings with him a particular defensive system that many believe takes time to learn, although the players believe its simply. Thibodeau didnt invent this system, and hes loath to take any public credit for it, but coaches, scouts, and executives all over the league agree he was the first coach to.
Tom thibodeau should have plenty of opportunities to return to the nba next season. Embedded below is a defensive system tape put together by jeff van gundy and his coaching staff which included tom thibodeau andsteve clifford, and in the late 1990s with the new york. Im going to try to provide some insight into the coachs defensive philosophy and the tactics his teams employ to slow down opposing offenses. This is especially worrisome because the coach of the timberwolves is tom thibodeau, who was known as a defensive savant during his tenure with the chicago bulls. Deng, amid being worked to exhaustion by thibs for much of. Tom thibodeau spent time with jeff van gundy for 9 years. In his stints as an associate head coach in boston and head coach in chicago, tom thibodeau made his name and his career with a set of genuinely smart and hugely influential defensive tactics. When kevin garnett was recognized as the nbas defensive player of the year, celtics coach doc rivers commented that garnett had changed the teams culture when it came to defense.
The minnesota timberwolves went 3151 in thibodeau s first season and didnt make the playoffs. For now, here is a segment on his defensive principles. A look at how tom thibodeau s defensive scheme holds the timberwolves back. What will the minnesota timberwolves offense look like under tom thibodeau. Highly regarded as a defensive strategist, in january 20, espn praised thibodeau s defensive system as the pinnacle of team defensive strategy in the nba. How tom thibodeau the executive can help tom thibodeau the.
Thibodeau currently is the associate head coach of the celtics, who are down 10 in the nba finals. The nba is a pickandroll league, and you can feel thibodeau s stress building when he starts talking about facing 50 or 60 or 70 pickandrolls in the same game, and with so many variations. Its no coincidence miami plays in the same conference as boston and chicago the two teams most associated, via tom thibodeau, with that strangling defense. Under tom thibodeau, the timberwolves defense first coach and president of basketball operations, the defensive side of the game continues to get worse. Tom thibodeau is the master of the strongside box defense. Under tom thibodeau, the teams defense first coach and president of basketball operations, that aspect of the game continues to get worse. However, according to a 2010 boston globe article, one of the many misconceptions about thibodeau is that hes strictly a defensive specialist. The timberwolves defensive transformation under tom thibodeau might never materialize timberwolves coach tom thibodeau, considered to be a defensive guru, is overseeing the worst defense in the. Timberwolves defensive struggles solely on the players. Tom thibodeau s emergence as a one of the leagues most respected defensive minds was rooted in players who loved his maniacal focus on the job. Thibodeaus defensive system is the pinnacle of team defensive strategy in the nba. The timberwolves are struggling with tom thibodeaus. Though defense remains his trademark, it appears tom thibodeau took his year off from the nba to embrace some new concepts as.
Thibodeau, according to reliable sources, agreed to a threeyear deal early saturday afternoon to become the 15th not counting interims coach in bulls history. Karlanthony towns on nba unicorns and minnesotas minutes. Minnesota timberwolves point guard tyus jones leads nba point guards in espns defensive real plusminus stat. If you said the triangle offense for jackson and a pressingtrapping style of defense for pitino, very few savvy basketball fans would argue with. A look at how tom thibodeaus defensive scheme holds the. Timberwolves defensive transformation under tom thibodeau. Coach of the year winner tom thibodeau chicago bulls the chicago bulls. Thibs has the wolves guarding the wrong spots on the floor. Thibodeau led the celtics to the best rating in several defensive categories in. While certain categories were easy to pick this season, some were. Coach thibodeau is a tremendous defensive coach, but he did learn some of his system from coach van gundy. Will the timberwolves defensive transformation ever. Tom thibodeau has instilled a winning attitude through his emphasis on defense.
Thomas joseph thibodeau jr is an american basketball coach who most recently was head. Because the system in thibodeaus first two seasons was, in fact, old school. The paul georgeless pacers shot a franchiserecord 66. Why the tom thibodeau defense is not working new, 546 comments the wolves have the 27th best defense in the nba and it is because they have no clue how to play tom thibodeau s pick and roll defense. Butler and gibson have played in the tom thibodeau system and will bring good habits and excellent execution to it.
Tom thibodeau leads the players through this drill where they practice chasing down offensive players on the perimeterwhile yelling at them. But theyve achieved that in a sort of counterintuitive way. You say that but covington, teague, butler, dieng, gibson, rose etc were all three under thibs. But noah did say without thibodeau s defensive system of play and demands he never would have reached these heights. Stellar defense was the payoff for enduring his generic offense, minutes and injuries issues, as what is, quite frankly, a fairly joyless approach to the game of basketball. Tracy mcgrady and paul pierce, who played for tom thibodeau, said the minnesota timberwolves defensive struggles are solely on the players. New coach tom thibodeau has his work cut out with the young timberwolves. Cbs as the bulls have shown cracks in a defense thats been their calling card for the entirety of the tom thibodeau era, forward taj gibson and his coach have a. Despite the clear problems with this system, tom thibodeau is still insistent on running it. Under tom thibodeau, the teams defense first coach and president of basketball operations, that aspect of. You can read more about the new style of defense in alex suchmans answer to what makes coach tom thibodeau s defense so.
Its no coincidence that the chicago bulls have been the best defensive team in the nba since they hired tom thibodeau to replace vinny del negro as the head coach in 2010. Thibodeaus defensive system is designed to get the ball to one side of the floor, overload that side with extra help defenders, and close off all passing lanes. Tom thibodeau was supposed to transform the minnesota timberwolves defense. The chicago bulls continually exhibit topnotch defense, mainly because coach tom thibodeau concocts genius game plans on a regular basis this has already been on display in the playoffs, and. Timberwolves defensive transformation under tom thibodeau might never materialize heres the good news. Why the tom thibodeau defense is not working canis hoopus. The timberwolves defensive transformation under tom. Thibodeaus defensive system as the pinnacle of team defensive strategy in the.
T he bulls have been the leagues best defensive team since chicago hired tom thibodeau before the 2011 season. Ask any basketball coach in the world what they think is one of the most important factors to having a great defensive team, and i would bet they will mention communication somewhere in their explanation. There was an article written by beckley mason on titled the book on tom thibodeau. But offense wasnt the issue in the twin cities entering this season it was defense. Or they could turn their eyes toward the lottery, either using a higher draft pick to add another talented young player or as an asset to move this summer in a quest for an accomplished veteran to complement a promising trio of young stars. Every one is raving about the boston celtics defense these days. The bulls have a new coach, tom thibodeau of the boston celtics. Tom thibodeau should have plenty of chances to coach in. His defensive system requires precision, starting with ball pressure. Thibodeau s latest foray into his past involves a meeting with luol deng, the former bull who was bought out by the lakers this month. When asked how much he pays attention to the higher points per possession shots specifically layups and 3s crawfords response was telling. We are looking at wiggins and towns who are unlikely to execute any defense system. For wolves owner glen taylor, president and coach tom thibodeau and gm scott layden, there is no debate.
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