Will Tom Thibodeau's Inside Knowledge of Celtics Play a Large Role in Playoffs?

With the Heat going cold and its weakness as obvious as ever, the Chicago Bulls are beginning to look like the challenge for the Celtics in the East. 

It was a sad, albeit expected day in the life of Celtics fans when assistant coach Tom Thibodeau decided to assume his rightful role as an NBA head coach. 

It was slightly more disappointing when Thibodeau announced he would being taking the reigns in Chicago, of all places. 

The Bulls—the team that had acquired one of the league's most desirable free agents (Boozer) and had padded an already decent bench with more solid role players (Watson, Korver, Brewer), had now hired one of the best (if not the best) defensive coaches in the league to lead the talented squad. 

With a bunch of new tools, Bulls fans couldn't have been happier. Now, thanks (in part) to Thibodeau, all the new pieces have formed into one, cohesive unit. 

Even the President is thanking the Celtics for his team's new coach. 

“He actually thanked us for giving him our guy,” Celtics guard Ray Allen said of Thibodeau.

“He was like, 'How'd you guys let that guy go?' and it was like, 'That's just kind of how it works.'” 

It sure is. Unless, of course, you turn out to be a better assistant coach than a head coach (or an unfortunate situation never allows you to demonstrate your worth). 

I would like to thank the piss-poor organization in New Jersey (that even the best coach wouldn't be able to save) for giving Boston Lawrence Frank. 

Celtics' head coach Doc Rivers knew it wasn't a lack of coaching ability that led to Frank's dismissal in Jersey.

“You can only be as good as what you've got on the floor,” River said shortly after Frank's hiring. “And they were obviously in transition, unfortunately for him. When he had the guys he showed what he can do.” 

As expected, Frank has been the perfect fit. 

The Celtics rank second in points allowed and third in opposing field goal percentage (trailing Thibodeau's Bulls in both categories). 

With the way the Bulls are playing, my bias (yet legitimate) assumptions lead me to believe that there is a more than reasonable chance of the Bulls and Celtics meeting in the Eastern Conference Finals.

So, as someone that developed his own defensive system in Boston, what are Thibodeau's chances of utilizing his Celtics knowledge to disrupt Lawrence Frank's new regime in the playoffs? 

A major difference: The Bulls are on pace to become the fourth team in the last 25 years to lead the NBA in defensive rating one season after finishing outside the top 10 in the same category. (Defensive rating is influenced by shot defense and forcing turnovers). 

With the return of Joakim Noah, the Bulls are an elite defensive threat. While the Heat makes headlines, the Bulls continue to fly silently below the radar. 

Although Thibodeau has an in-depth knowledge of the Celtics, his main advantage will come in exploiting his former player's weaknesses. 

Although similar in effect, Frank brings a new defensive technique to the Celtics. Thibodeau can only attempt to uncover this new puzzle and find the holes. The defensive schemes are much different than the ones Thibodeau created in Boston. 

Thibodeau knows his former team. He knows the tricks that they commonly fall for and where their flaws are.

But the Celtics know the same of Thibodeau. 

The individual flaws that Thibodeau may have pointed out are a thing of the past and with multiple additions, this Celtics team is an entirely different beast to mold. 

This new puzzle can be seen as a disadvantage. However, in terms of Thibodeau, the new group of players leaves all approaches up in the air.