Knicks HC Tom Thibodeau wins NBA Coach of the Year

After a fantastic first year as head coach of the New York Knicks, Tom Thibodeau is receiving some well-deserved recognition.

No one expected the New York Knicks to make the playoffs this year, but Tom Thibodeau wouldn’t take no for an answer. The no-nonsense head coach made an immediate impact in year one with the Knicks and was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.

This is Thibodeau’s second time winning Coach of the Year and the third time a Knicks coach won the award. He joins Red Holzman and Pat Riley in that elite group.

“Anytime an individual wins something, it’s more of a byproduct for the team and I know that’s the case here,” Thibs told reporters. “But to be in the company of Red Holzman, a guy that I followed. And Pat Riley, I don’t know if there’s anyone better. Those two guys are special company.”

This is the second NBA Coach of the Year Award for Thibodeau, who earned the honor in the 2010-11 season with the Chicago.

Thibodeau received 43 first-place votes and earned 351 total points to edge Phoenix head coach Monty Williams.

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— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 7, 2021

Thibs beat out Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams by a razor-thin margin. Although the Suns had a better overall season, Thibodeau did more with less. Quin Snyder, Doc Rivers, Nate McMillan, Steve Nash, and Michael Malone round out the seven vote-getters.

The Knicks flamed out in five games against the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs, but they had a regular season to remember. Thibodeau is setting the foundation for bigger and better things in the future.

Thibodeau is the second Knick to win an award this season. Julius Randle was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player and he is probably going to find his way onto an All-NBA team. He deserves it.