New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has received the ‘Red Auerbach Trophy’ as ‘Coach of the Year’ from the NBA this 2020-21 season, in the second time he has received this award and in his first year in the New York franchise, which led to some ‘Playoffs’ in which they lost in the first round.
Thibodeau was already named the NBA’s best coach in 2011, with the Chicago Bulls, and repeats ten years later in his adventure with the New York Knicks, which makes him the first coach to be named NBA coach of the year in his first season in two different franchises.
With a total of 351 points received, he edged out Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams, who finished second with 340 points, in the smallest scoring margin – under the current scoring format – since the 2002 season. -03. For his part, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder was third with 161 points.
With Thibodeau, the Knicks finished tied for the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference (41-31) in the regular season and reached the Playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 season. The Knicks have won 16 of their last 20 games and upended their 21-45 record from the previous year.
He is the 10th coach to repeat the NBA Coach of the Year award and the eighth to do so with multiple franchises. Additionally, he is the third to be selected as NBA Coach of the Year with the Knicks, joining Red Holzman (1969-70) and Pat Riley (1992-93).
The 63-year-old from New Britain (Connecticut) led the New York franchise to an 11-4 record in April as the most prolific month since March 2014 (11-5), and was already ‘Coach of the Month’ from the Eastern Conference in May with a 6-3 record in the final month of the regular season.
The Knicks showed a dramatic improvement on defense with Thibodeau leading the way, leading the NBA in points allowed (104.7) and opponents’ field goal percentage (44 percent) and ranking fourth in defensive rating (107, 8).
Under the command of the American coach, Julius Randle was named an NBA All-Star for the first time and won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. Additionally, Derrick Rose was a finalist for the 2020-21 Kia NBA Sixth Man Award.
The 2021 NBA Rising Stars pick featured RJ Barrett, who ranked as the fourth leading scorer among NBA sophomores (17.6 points per game), and rookie Immanuel Quickley averaged 11.4 points after being selected by New. York with the 25th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
