Even if the Bulls hadn’t harpooned the Heat on Thursday night, the overtime epic validates why Tom Thibodeau is remarkably worthy to become the first in NBA history to earn back-to-back coaching honors.
The career assistant, now in his second season as Chicago’s cunning capo, doesn’t coach by the book, by the clock, by the numbers, by reputation or from fear of consequence should things go horribly amiss.
Thibodeau already had my yet un-caste vote. He reinforced that position by keeping Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Rip Hamilton cuddled up alongside him for almost the entire fourth quarter and extra session because C.J. Watson, Omer Asik and Kyle Korver were taking care of business, same as they’ve been doing throughout the season.
How many living locks for the Hall of Fame, much less a relatively obscure coach, would have the guts to bench lift last season’s MVP, design a devious plot for Watson — versus continuing to rely on the sizzling long distance-dialing of Korver — that deadbolted regulation, then leave him in to direct the demise of Miami in the bonus episode?
On TV, it appeared as if Thibodeau’s new seating plan stunned the rusty Rose. Why wouldn’t it frustrate him to sit out a dance he’s used to choreographing and controlling? But there’s little or no arguing with success. That’s especially true in the case of someone so reputedly coachable.
Until we find out differently, that’s one of many revered rudiments separating Rose from christened deities and aspiring statues.
One characteristic that makes Thibodeau particularly unique is his fearlessness to fail, which doesn’t make any sense considering how long it took him to rate an interview for a head job, much less get promoted.
He seems equally at ease with facing his franchise player or, for that matter, Bulls’ managing partner Jerry Reinsdorf regardless of how such unconventional warfare plays out.
Come to think of it, Thibodeau’s handling of the delicate situation really wasn’t that odd at all. In actuality, by recessing his guiding light, he simply continued to play percentages that have paid astonishing dividends with Rose out of service for 24 of a possible 59 games due to assorted injures. Despite his prolonged absence, the Bulls have registered a 45-14 mark, best in the East, and own the league’s preeminent (21-8) road record.
It’s not as if Thibodeau is guessing Korver, Watson, Asik, Taj Gibson, Ronnie Brewer and John Lucas might have some idea how to master a succession of undermanned one night stands.
Thibodeau has a glut of good reasons to believe in these players. Their success bolsters his ongoing belief in them and the two-way confidence-building beat goes on.
So, naturally, Thibodeau felt no compunction to call up the reserves and keep them on active duty with the imperial Heat in town. And he will do it again, if necessary, until Rose demonstrates he’s healthy enough to put the pedal to the metalIn the meantime, those with a genuine pulse on Rose, insist he will be unfazed by sitting should Thibodeau stage a reenactment. He will be ready today against the Pistons to be the way he was before the Heat game.
This just in, Part I: Kevin Love beat out James Harden, LeBron James and Eric Gordon for the lead role as Ezekiel, the Amish furniture maker in Harrison Ford’s “Witness 2.”
This just in, Part II: As soon as Love’s Timberwolves’ extension kicks in, his plan is to buy a swanky new covered horse buggy.
Charlotte had lost 15 games in a row. It’s so ugly, reports column castigator Frank Drucker, “opponents are clamoring for the ’Cats to drop out and release their delegates to Ron Paul.”
Things are so sideways for Michael Jordan, he’s now carrying Ahmad Rashad’s luggage.
It was only a matter of time, I guess, before a mascot got roughed up by an opponent. Wednesday night in Cleveland, David West knocked Moondog for a loop during a playful tussle, requiring a hospital visit but no overnight stay. Claiming it was an accident, the contrite West, nevertheless, has some explaining to do to PETA.
The incident reminds me of a story John Havlicek told years ago about the sixth man on his Ohio State team. The Buckeyes were playing St. Joseph’s at the Palestra. On the pregame layup line, the Hawk was flapping his wings entirely too close to the enemy. On the ensuing flight pattern, Bobby Knight abruptly broke ranks and cold-cocked the mascot.
Before last night’s game against the Warriors, the Clippers were 10-2 since Vinny Del Negro supposedly was one loss away from walking the plank. Although he wields the chalk board, is there any question whose hand is firmly on the tiller? Chris Paul convenes huddles before the staff steps in, and, for that matter, controls the players during and after confabs, too.
Paul is consumed by his leadership responsibility. Last Wednesday, with five minutes left against the Thunder, he got a standing ovation from column conscience Ricky St. Jean for getting into the grill of Nick Young , who had no clue there was an important and close game going on. The goofy guard tried to play it off with a smile.
“His blank stare said everything we already knew about him,” St. Jean unloaded.
Just another day at the office for Paul. He scored nine of his team’s last 11 points. Another on a long list of games he refuses to allow his team to lose.
Hence, the Thunder became the latest opponent to violate Lesson Plan 1 … not surgically removing the ball from Paul’s hands at Crunch ’n Munch time. One more outburst like that, and I’m gonna be forced to complete the sedation of Scott Brooks and wake up Mo Cheeks.“OK,” he responded. “I thought maybe he gave back over half his salary and I did not know it!”
Suns owner Robert Sarver emailed me last week. He wanted to know how I knew Alvin Gentry’s salary. I told him I don’t, that I’d taken an educated guess when I wrote he makes $1 million or lower.
