{"id":413005,"date":"2011-05-01T16:41:23","date_gmt":"2011-05-01T16:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/05\/01\/bulls-thibodeau-wins-nba-coach-of-year-ap\/"},"modified":"2011-05-01T16:41:23","modified_gmt":"2011-05-01T16:41:23","slug":"bulls-thibodeau-wins-nba-coach-of-year-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/01\/bulls-thibodeau-wins-nba-coach-of-year-ap\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulls’ Thibodeau wins NBA coach of year (AP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP)\u2014Tom Thibodeau is the NBA\u2019s Coach of the Year after leading the Chicago Bulls<\/a> to 62 wins in his first season to tie a league record set by Paul Westphal.<\/p>\n

A person with knowledge of the selection told The Associated Press on Sunday that Thibodeau had won. The person requested anonymity because the announcement had not been made. The NBA has scheduled a news conference in Chicago for Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n

The Chicago Tribune first reported Thibodeau\u2019s selection, which was no surprise given what the Bulls accomplished. An NBA assistant for about two decades, Thibodeau finally got his chance to lead a team after spending three seasons working for Doc Rivers in Boston.<\/p>\n

He replaced the fired Vinny Del Negro in June, and with a rebuilt roster, the Bulls breezed to a 62-20 mark that matched their best record since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen completed their second championship three-peat at the end of the 1997-98 season.<\/p>\n

They did all that even though prized acquisition Carlos Boozer<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> and Joakim Noah<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> missed significant time with injuries, capturing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and giving their coach a share of the record Westphal set with Phoenix during the 1992-93 season.<\/p>\n

Thibodeau was known as a defensive mastermind who helped Boston win a championship in 2008 and get back to the finals last season, but many wondered if he would succeed as a head coach.<\/p>\n

Well, he\u2019s doing just fine.<\/p>\n

Thibodeau\u2019s only other head coaching job was for one season at his alma mater, Division III Salem State, in the mid-1980s. He got that after three years as an assistant.<\/p>\n

He then spent four seasons on the staff at Harvard before going to work under Bill Musselman with the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> in 1989. From there, Thibodeau embarked on a long path that ultimately led to this.<\/p>\n

There were stops in San Antonio, Philadelphia, New York and Houston, and along the way, he developed a reputation as a defensive wizard and hardworking assistant, one that continued to grow in Boston.<\/p>\n

The unknown, though, was how he would fare as the guy in charge.<\/p>\n

The Bulls were looking for more after back-to-back 41-win seasons under Del Negro, and hiring Thibodeau was the next step in a massive overhaul.<\/p>\n

They struck out trying to land LeBron James<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> Dwyane Wade<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> and Chris Bosh<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> in free agency, but they wound up with Boozer and one of the deepest rotations in the league.<\/p>\n

It helped that Derrick Rose<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> took another big leap, going from Rookie of the Year to All-Star and now an MVP favorite in just his third season.<\/p>\n

He and Thibodeau immediately clicked, and the rest of the team bought in, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a great coach, a phenomenal coach,\u201d forward Taj Gibson<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> said. \u201cHe watches every detail. He watches you throughout the year. He\u2019s been phenomenal with me in my growth as a player, being my second year in the league. He deserves it. He turned us around, to a whole new mold of team. Our passion, our aggression toward every basketball game is phenomenal.\u201d<\/p>\n

And if ever there was a team that reflected its coach, the Bulls are it.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve been locked in from Day 1, and that focus carried them through a dominant regular season that rekindled memories of the championship era.<\/p>\n

Not since the Jordan-Pippen era have the Bulls been this good. They lost back-to-back games only four times during the regular season and never dropped more than two in a row, despite the injuries to Boozer and Noah. They also dominated the Central division at 15-1, the lone loss coming at Indiana. On defense, they ranked among the stingiest.<\/p>\n

No team held opponents to a lower shooting percentage or outrebounded them by a wider margin than the Bulls, who were also second to Miami in average scoring differential. That was hardly a surprise, given their coach\u2019s reputation.<\/p>\n

Players, meanwhile, mention Thibodeau\u2019s presence, his ability to command their attention. And, of course, his work ethic, his attention to detail.<\/p>\n

Rose would always see the light on in Thibodeau\u2019s office when he worked out at the team\u2019s practice facility in the summer. On bus rides, Thibodeau\u2019s up front examining the video even in the wee hours.<\/p>\n

At shootarounds, the Bulls will analyze every option in their opponent\u2019s playbook, and they will often look toward the sideline when they hear a call during games because their coach knows what\u2019s coming.<\/p>\n

About the only thing they don\u2019t understand is why it took so long for the 53-year-old Thibodeau to get hired. His name often came up when there were openings the past few years, including Chicago\u2019s in 2008, but the wait stretched on.<\/p>\n

Now, look at him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

View original post here:
\nBulls’ Thibodeau wins NBA coach of year (AP)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP)\u2014Tom Thibodeau is the NBA\u2019s Coach of the Year after leading the Chicago Bulls to 62 wins in his first season to tie a league record set by Paul Westphal. 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