Jonathan Macri pointed out on the Knicks Film School podcast that the flip side to Mike Budenholzer with the Bucks, Nick Nurse with the Raptors, Joe Mazzulla with the Celtics, and Steve Kerr with the Warriors are the coaching changes that didn't go so well: Monty Williams with the Pistons, Frank Vogel and (checks notes) Mike Budenholzer with the Suns, Doc Rivers and (checks notes again) Nick Nurse with the Sixers, and (I'm noticing a theme here) Doc Rivers with the Bucks.
I have been frustrated with Thibs for years. I was staggeringly frustrated watching the shellackings at the hands of the Thunder, the Cavs, and the Celtics, and how shockingly little we seem to have learned from game to game. At the same time, I'm not sure what the right next move is going to be.
That's where I'm torn. Just like every great player isn't necessarily great enough or even tasked with getting a team to a title -- Randle is a good example -- not every coach has to be, either. Given how the past 25 years have gone, it's completely fair to say 5-7 years of sustained quality under Thibs, even if it never results in a title, is of more value to this franchise than a brief chase for a ring before sliding back into stinking. I don't know what "the answer" is for them. I'm not even positive they can't win w/Thibs. It's just getting harder and harder for me to come up with justifications for risking his best players in blowouts or off obvious injuries.
Jonathan Macri pointed out on the Knicks Film School podcast that the flip side to Mike Budenholzer with the Bucks, Nick Nurse with the Raptors, Joe Mazzulla with the Celtics, and Steve Kerr with the Warriors are the coaching changes that didn't go so well: Monty Williams with the Pistons, Frank Vogel and (checks notes) Mike Budenholzer with the Suns, Doc Rivers and (checks notes again) Nick Nurse with the Sixers, and (I'm noticing a theme here) Doc Rivers with the Bucks.
I have been frustrated with Thibs for years. I was staggeringly frustrated watching the shellackings at the hands of the Thunder, the Cavs, and the Celtics, and how shockingly little we seem to have learned from game to game. At the same time, I'm not sure what the right next move is going to be.
That's where I'm torn. Just like every great player isn't necessarily great enough or even tasked with getting a team to a title -- Randle is a good example -- not every coach has to be, either. Given how the past 25 years have gone, it's completely fair to say 5-7 years of sustained quality under Thibs, even if it never results in a title, is of more value to this franchise than a brief chase for a ring before sliding back into stinking. I don't know what "the answer" is for them. I'm not even positive they can't win w/Thibs. It's just getting harder and harder for me to come up with justifications for risking his best players in blowouts or off obvious injuries.