Tom Thibodeau has been named Coach of the Year, according to a league press release.
Thibodeau guided the Knicks to their first postseason appearance since the 2012/13 season. The Knicks finished the regular season with a 41-31 record, ending a string of seven consecutive losing seasons. They were 21-45 last season and 17-65 in 2018/19.
It’s the second Coach of the Year award for Thibodeau, who also earned the honor in the 2010/11 season with the Bulls in his first season as a head coach. No one had previously won the award in his first season with two different franchises.
Suns coach Monty Williams actually received more first-place votes (45) than Thibodeau (43). However, Thibodeau earned 351 total points while Williams had 340 points. The 11-point difference between the first- and second-place finishers was the smallest margin since the voting format was introduced in the 2002/03 season.
The Jazz‘s Quin Snyder finished third with 161 points (10 first-place votes). Four other coaches received votes — Doc Rivers (Sixers), Nate McMillan (Hawks), Steve Nash (Nets), and Michael Malone (Nuggets).
Thibodeau is the first Knicks coach since Pat Riley (1992/93) to win the award.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
It’s amazing a man who can be named coach of the year in the best basketball league in the world can’t find clothes that fit him.
It’s amazing they let people like you have access to apps and websites
Who is “they” bro? I am kinda scared now. You think they could keep me from using apps and websites?
Oh man.
Gotta watch out for “them”.
They announce this on the same day PHX smoked DEN a round later than NYK.
They should delay the deadline on these.
All three had great season, but I reluctantly have to say Thibs was just a bit better.
What a joke. Monty got robbed, period.
If Thib coaches in any other city, Monty wins.
Thought Monty was a slam dunk
Ny market edges him out in the end
lol Knicks were widely expected to compete for the #1 overall pick. They got home court in the first round and the 4 seed instead. This was the obvious choice.
Yeah…and the knicks got eaten by Trae Young and the Suns shamed the Lakers.
In all honesty, these awards should drop after the season.
That means absolutely nothing. Suns roster is much more talented than the Knicks. The fact Knicks went from possible #1 pick to 4 seed is amazing. Suns had CP3 and Booker leading the way and then beat a Lakers team with injured AD
Thibs doesn’t deserve the paycheck he collects. He owes that to D. Rose
Totally Agree
They played ALL OUT During The Season
Not discounting what NYK did the West is just so much tougher- Especially to go from out of playoffs to top shelf so quick
Put the Knick in the west and they do compete for the #1 pick.
Suns have so much more talent and Knicks were supposed to compete for the #1 pick. Thibs deserves it
Stephen Silas will be one of the finalists for coach of the year in 2022.
And Paul Silas will win the comeback award!
Congrats to Thibs, a true coach in a league littered with front men and fall guys. Well deserved.
While the voters got it right, it has to be acknowledged that there hasn’t been a better hire in the past 2 seasons than Monty Williams, and that Quinn Snyder is simply a great coach.
Thibs deserved it. You put Monty in NY and he wouldn’t get same results. Monty lucky he has CP3 and Booker.
Put the Knicks in the West and they probably get the first pick
Knicks were over .500 against Western teams, with their schedule weighted toward the top half of the Western teams. Even you should be able to do the math on that better than you have.
Whaaa? No votes for “I have an alarm on my apple watch to remind me to play my best player after I rest him for way too long after he already rested for almost 2 straight years” Kerr???
Rofl
Just more Typical NY Bias. Can’t argue with anyone from there as they all are EXPERTS. They are all so smart Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez were HOF locks and Melo would win several Championships for them.
Award based on regular season so stop with the Suns went deeper in the playoff crap. Suns have deeper roster. NY wasn’t expected to do diddly cept possibly be in the lottery running. I have no horse in this race so I’m not biased either.
Monty should have won the award. The Suns were competing for the 1 seed most of the season in the harder conference, after missing the playoffs last year. Gimme that over squeaking into the 4 in the east.
James Borrego should be 3rd. Charlotte should’ve been a last place team with their talent. Not even in Top 7 is a joke!