# Is Tom Thibodeau the best coach in the NBA?



## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Regardless of what crappy looking starting lineup the Bulls put up, they are capable of winning any game. Last night they were missing both Boozer and Noah and still almost won that game against the Nets. 

This is a team that is battling for a top 3 seed without its superstar and despite multiple injuries and a revamped bench! This is a team that should be a lottery team, yet hes got these guys balling. Amazing job by Thibs, the only knock on the guy is that he plays his guys way too many minutes. 

So my question to you guys, is Tom Thibodeau the best coach in the NBA?


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## taco_daddy (Jun 13, 2004)

I'm not sure how I feel about Rose's injury last year. While I can't blame it on Thibs, freak accidents do happen, as you said Thibs plays his people way too many minutes. I have to admit though, he can get buy in to his system and his players play hard for him. So, if he's not the best, he's definitely in the conversation.


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## Luke (Dec 7, 2008)

He's certainly no pop, but I'd put him on the top five probably.


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## mvP to the Wee (Jul 14, 2007)

Top 5 no doubt. He's in my top 2 with Popovich. Incredible coach.


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

i'd say he's top 3


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

I wont call him the best coach till he wins a chamampionship, but he has really impressed me the way he has kept this team going without rose... the bulls got themselves one hell of a coach


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Pop is great, arguably the best in the game. I think his willingness to sacrifice regular season wins in order to rest his guys, is what puts him above Thibs. Thibs as great as he is, still coaches every single game like its game 7 of the NBA finals, over the course of a long 82 game season its going to take its toll on the guys.


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## FutureBullsDr (Apr 17, 2012)

He is either the best coach in the NBA or second best coach in the NBA. 

We lost Rose and we are the 3 seed in the East. Thibs seems to maximize the potential out of the players he is given.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Can you imagine him on the Lakers, and guys buying into his system. Good thing we locked him up, probably the best move the Garpax era has ever done.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

FutureBullsDr said:


> He is either the best coach in the NBA or second best coach in the NBA.
> 
> We lost Rose and we are the 3 seed in the East. Thibs seems to maximize the potential out of the players he is given.


I give thibodeau alot of credit for winning without rose, but he has 3 former or current all stars in his starting lineup, lets not act like he is rolling out there with the bobcats roster


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## FutureBullsDr (Apr 17, 2012)

roux2dope said:


> I give thibodeau alot of credit for winning without rose, but he has 3 former or current all stars in his starting lineup, lets not act like he is rolling out there with the bobcats roster


I didn't compare the Bulls to the Bobcats, but playing like this without your MVP is impressive I do attribute it to our coaching staff. Everyone was writing them off this year, especially after the bench mob was disbanded. The expectations were for the Bulls to be about a .500 team and sneak into the playoffs. At this point they could end up being 1-4 seed. 

Its not like the rest of our starting line-up has been injury free either. Rip and Kirk has missed significant time, and our all-stars have all missed several games as well. 

They beat the Hawks last night without Rose, Boozer, Noah, and Hinrich.


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## jnrjr79 (Apr 18, 2003)

FutureBullsDr said:


> They beat the Hawks last night without Rose, Boozer, Noah, and Hinrich.



All things considered, that win was just incredible.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

I can't quite put him over Rick Carlisle or Coach Pop, but I'd say he's right in that next tier with Doc, Rick Adelman, and Mike Woodson.


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## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

Top tier of coaches who haven't won a championship


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

roux2dope said:


> I give thibodeau alot of credit for winning without rose, but he has 3 former or current all stars in his starting lineup, lets not act like he is rolling out there with the bobcats roster


First of all, lets not act like the 3 former all stars you talk about are anything more than reserve all stars, especially in a league that isn't very deep in All Star talent. 

The point is, hes winning with those guys out. Hes winning with his superstar out, hes got guys like Marco Bellineli and Nate Robinson playing better than they have in a long time.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

RollWithEm said:


> I can't quite put him over Rick Carlisle or Coach Pop, but I'd say he's right in that next tier with Doc, Rick Adelman, and Mike Woodson.


Hes better than Woodson and Rivers already.


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## Luke (Dec 7, 2008)

RollWithEm said:


> I can't quite put him over Rick Carlisle or Coach Pop, but I'd say he's right in that next tier with Doc, Rick Adelman, and Mike Woodson.


I don't know about Woodson but I agree with the rest of this post.


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## yodurk (Sep 4, 2002)

There isn't any coach better at X's and O's, and particularly with implementing a stellar defensive system. Yes, Thibs is the #1 best strategic coach in the league, IMO.

BUT...his one flaw does scare me at times and keeps him from being greater than he is. Like others have mentioned, he is way too lax with his players' minutes. It's a miracle that Luol Deng has played 40 minutes per game the past 2.5 seasons with only minimal injuries to show for it. And look at Noah, he is already breaking down due to the 38-40 minutes per game he's playing this year, and that was with him coming into training camp the best shape of his life. I mean come on, there literally has not been a big man play those level of minutes in the past 10 years (Duncan in 2002, I believe). And how often does he still have our starters in the game when we're up 15-20 points with less than 3 minutes to play? Yeah it's still technically a loseable game but you sacrifice that possibility for the greater good during regular season games. Thibs just doesn't seem to appreciate the value of rest/recovery, and I'm afraid it's going to always haunt him come playoff time with a broken down team every year.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

I agree that his use of players is shocking in terms of minutes but its not like players in the past never played huge minutes. 

I think the difference today is that we view our players more like they are commodities and not actual people. 

Wilt Chamberlain averaged 45.8 mpg over the course of his career. Noah is 27 years old and playing 38mpg, Wilt was playing 46 minutes a game at the same age, and playing over 43mpg at age 36 in the 70's.

From 09-12 Noah is averaging 30.1 mpg, Dikembe Mutombo in his first 10 years in the league averaged 36 mpg. Thibs has got an old school mentality, its not like what hes doing is unheard of in the NBA. I just think we haven't seen players play this many minutes in a long time. Heck, Michael Jordan damn near played almost 40mpg at AGE 40!


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Congratulations to George Karl for his first ever NBA coach of the Year award.... BUT, Thibs #8 with only 2 first place votes? WTF.

To put this in perspective, Thibs only has 1 more first place vote than Vinny Del *****.... Wow.


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## BlakeJesus (Feb 1, 2006)

Thibs definitely got way too little love in the voting race, but at the same time, everybody speaks highly of him so it isn't like this really matters in terms of his perception throughout the league or with the media.


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## transplant (Jul 31, 2002)

I'll preface by saying that I don't think any of us are really qualified to judge this.

IMO, there are several guys who both underrstand the Xs and Os and also seem to have the ability to relate to their multi-millionaire players. These include Popovich, Rivers, Karl and Thibodeau. Of course, Karl didn't win a COY award until his front office had rid his roster of any superstars. Popovich and Thibodeau have essentially been "one superstar" head coaches, Pops with Duncan and Thibodeau with Rose. Both of those superstars are at the far end of the coachability spectrum. Rivers won a COY with DHoward as his superstar and then won a title (but not another COY) by reaching an understanding with Garnett, Pierce and Ray Allen.

I happen to believe that the ability to develop a "meeting of the minds" with your top player(s) trumps X and O knowledge by a lot. This is why Scott Skiles, who gets the intricacies of the game as well as anyone, has such a limited shelf life. 

Since Rivers has successfully handled multiple superstars, I'll give him the nod as the current best in the bidness.


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## BobStackhouse42 (Oct 7, 2010)

The question still remains whether his players will eventually tune him out like Larry Brown or Doug Collins.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Doc rivers is notas good a coach as Thibs. I guarantee you Rivers would not have taken this team as far as thibd has. Look at how shitty the roster looks, yet they find ways to win and while you can put a lot of that on nate Robinson, he was a Thibs pick up.


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## yodurk (Sep 4, 2002)

I am not and never have been worried about Thibodeau tuning out his players. 

He is a far more likeable coach than Skiles. I think Bulls fans get the jitters b/c they remember Skiles' abrasive personality so well. Thibs has his "hard ass" side to him, but I believe he also knows when to take the foot off the gas when it comes to personality management. Take Noah for example, Skiles would never know when to get off his back, whereas I think Thibs lets Noah be himself most of the time and will just pick and choose when to apply the pressure.

I also think the players genuinely respects Thibs' ability to make them better players. Rose, Deng, Jimmy, Noah, Nate, even Boozer...have all become more complete players under Thibs. No doubt they recognize that.


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