Chicago Bulls: How Coach Tom Thibodeau Demands Excellence and Gets It
The Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau will be the 2010-2011 NBA Coach of the Year. Any argument for any other coach is invalid. The Bulls' dominant and thorough beating of the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics, 97-81 last night, was the final stamp on Thibodeau’s Coach of the Year performance.
While some NBA pundits have tossed around names like Gregg Popovich of the resurgent San Antonio Spurs and George Karl of the strong-willed Denver Nuggets as other top contenders for the award, this season, this year, the award must go to Thibodeau.
Surprisingly Coach Popovich has led his aging Spurs team to the No. 1seed in the vaunted Western Conference but this is also a team with multiple All-Star veterans who have won four NBA Titles under his watch. What Coach Thibodeau has done is much more impressive—nobody could have predicted that this Bulls team would rise from 41-41 a year ago to the doorstep of 60 wins.
Credit must go to George Karl, who has guided his team through the tumultuous trade speculated first half of the season keeping them in contention. Then after losing his best player, Carmello Anthony, in the much anticipated trade to the New York Knicks, the Nuggets have actually surged and are just two wins shy of the 50-win plateau. Impressive, but the Coach of the Year award cannot go to the fifth place team in the conference, regardless of the circumstances.
The most obvious improvement that Coach Thibodeau has instilled in this young Bulls team is defensive intensity. The casual observer will quickly notice that this Bulls team consistently holds teams to under their season averages in points scored and field goal percentage.
Last night the Bulls held the Celtics to a putrid 29 percent shooting in the second half and allowed only 81 total points. It was the 28th time the Bulls have held their opponents to under 85 points this season.
Obviously the Bulls do a fantastic job in both points allowed and opponent field-goal percentage but what is lost on some is how they achieve this night in and night out. The Bulls achieve this stifling defense by being the most determined and fundamentally sound defensive team in the NBA.
The next time you get a chance to watch this Bulls team take a close look at them when they are on defense and watch how they execute the fundamentals of team defense. Notice how every player is in a perfect defensive stance. Their hips are low, they are on the balls of their feet, they cut off the dribble, they alter shots and their eyes are always ultra-focused, not only on their man but more importantly also on the man with the ball.
Because each Bulls player is keenly aware of their man and where the ball is at all times, the Bulls are able to play outstanding help defense. This help side defense routinely allows the Bulls players to jump passing lanes and get deflections, which lead to steals and easy buckets.
Not only are the Bulls as fundamentally sound a defensive team as you will find, they are also the most determined defensive team. This is evident by how hard the Bulls compete on each and every possession from the opening tip to the final horn. This type of drive and determination is a reflection of Coach Thibodeau. It is very unusual to ever see Coach Thibodeau seated during the game, instead he is actively coaching his players and demanding effort, intensity and execution at all times.
This will and determination was reflected last night with 46 seconds to go in the ball game, the Bulls comfortably ahead by more than 15 points and there was Coach Thibodeau shouting instructions, demanding his players to dig their heels in and not allow a score. Luol Deng, who had an excellent second half, responded to his coach’s instructions and attempted to overplay the passing lane and committed a foul.
This play may be overlooked in the grand scheme of things but it is indicative of the mentality that Coach Thibodeau and this Bulls team exhibit each game. Every possession, every play, every pass and every shot is contested with vigor, intensity and effort. These characteristics are what has separated the Bulls from the rest of the pack in the East and could ultimately lead them to the NBA Finals.
Additionally, Coach Thibodeau has instilled a get-better-every-day attitude that each player from Derrick Rose to "The White Mamba" Brian Scalabrine has bought into. Moreover, Coach Thibodeau has guided this team through the significant missed playing time from big men Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer by sticking to the "next man in" mantra.
Coach Thibodeau has never allowed his players to lose focus, intensity or made excuses for them. This style of coaching will earn Coach Thibodeau the 2010-2011 NBA Coach of the Year award and may lead to a much bigger prize in June.
