School's in session as Tom Thibodeau prepares Knicks for playoff matchup against Hawks
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, left, gives instructions during a timeout in the second half of the team's NBA game against the Magic Feb. 17 in Orlando, Fla. Credit: AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Derrick Rose already has been through the rigors of the postseason four times alongside Tom Thibodeau, so he knew what to expect as the Knicks prepared for Sunday’s Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks. Or at least he thought he did.
"With Thibs, it’s still the same," Rose said on Friday. "Only thing that’s changed is the playbook. The books that we get for the playoffs, they don’t look like bibles anymore. They look like regular schoolbooks. You used to have like binders full of the plays when we were in Chicago. But this year he gave us two books, one more detailed than the other. But it’s still a book."
When asked why he changed to two smaller books, Thibodeau joked, "To keep his attention."
Thibodeau may have restructured his teaching methods, but you can be certain that the reports will be in-depth and the team, win or lose, certainly will be prepared.
For the veterans who have been through it before, particularly Rose and Taj Gibson, who will be playing in the postseason under Thibodeau for their third team, it may be familiar. And for those who have not experienced it yet, such as rookies Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin, it’s like the first day of school.
"It’s actually kind of funny," Quickley said. "Me and Obi were like, it kind of reminds us of school. The day we got into small groups and it was almost like we had class. So we were joking with each other that it was kind of like school all over again. But it’s kind of different because playing in the regular season, you might not have as much time, you might have a back-to-back, you have one day to go over as much as you can. But now we have a week to study our opponent. So we’re trying to know our opponent inside and out and just try to know them the best that we can so that we can come prepared."
While many of the Knicks’ key players are newcomers to this postseason regimen, it is old hat for Rose, although even he hasn’t been in the playoffs since 2018 and hasn’t been part of an extended run through the playoffs since 2015 in Chicago.
The absence wasn’t as long as it has been for the Knicks, who had not reached the postseason since 2013 — and that season marked the only time they have won a series in 20 years.
For the Knicks, the arrival of Rose in February has played a huge part in this return to the postseason and a big reason why fans are optimistic that they can get past the Hawks.
Rose was named Thursday as one of the three finalists for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, along with Utah’s Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles.
"It means something, but at the same time I’m more happy with being in the playoffs, to be honest," Rose said. "Being in that category, being a finalist, that shows that when I came here, I guess I did my job. Just playing as hard as I could, trying to be that vet role that’s on a team. I guess my play was up to par with everyone that ends up being in the finals [of the vote]. It’s cool, but it’s more cool, like I said, being in the playoffs. Missed it for the last couple of years. Being back here, being in a market like this, it means a lot."
"When you look at his career, to be the MVP at 22, and the way he played was remarkable with tremendous accomplishments," Thibodeau said. "Then the three years of injuries — to get through that . . . Any time he’s been healthy, he’s played well.
"I felt that I had a good understanding of who he is and what he means to a team. Whether he was the MVP of the league or he was playing with me in Minnesota, he’s always been a team-first guy. His teammates have always loved him.
"I thought getting the right veteran leaders here was going to be important for us to build a foundation. And we were very fortunate to be able to get Taj along with Derrick. They’ve been in a lot of big games, they’ve done a lot of winning in this league."
What Rose can impart to his younger teammates is a simple lesson, and one that you don’t have to read Thibodeau’s bibles or booklets to learn.
"One of the things is playing as hard we can," Rose said. "If we don’t come out and play hard, they’re going to smoke us. That’s the most I can give you right there."
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
