Method to the madness: Why Tom Thibodeau's former player defended his approach

Tom Thibodeau is known for being a taskmaster . His minutes management has been a discussion point among NBA fans for close to a decade. However, there's no denying that Thibodeau's approach works.

He has rebuilt the New York Knicks, taking them from obscurity to a genuine contender in the Eastern Conference. Thibodeau also had similar success during his time coaching the Chicago Bulls. Therefore, his track record far outweighs the negative talking points surrounding his hardline approach on the sidelines.



Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo recently appeared on the "Young Man and the Three" podcast and defended his former coach. “Thibs gets his rap of practice, practice, practice, practice,” DiVincenzo said. “But we’re playing, then a day off, playing, come and watch film, and playing.

There’s only so much you can do. I will say he tries to get the most out of you every single day, but it’s not running up and down, and then go and play 40 (minutes). If we were doing that, I wouldn’t be able to, there’s no way you can.

" DiVincenzo had one of the best seasons of his career under Thibodeau before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer. If DiVincenzo didn't believe that Thibodeau was being miscast, he would have no reason to defend him in such a public space. Yes, Thibodeau runs his players' minutes up during the postseason.

And, yes, he sticks to a rigid rotation whenever possible. But he's also taking players to new heights. He's uplifting franchises when given the opportunity to help them grow and develop.

The Knicks are struggling to start this season. The amount of roster turnover this summer has led to some disjointed performances. However, with Thibodeau leading the way, the Knicks should figure things out sooner or later.

That might mean players have to eat significant minutes while they play through their mistakes. Of course, that could lead to more criticism for Thibodeau. But, if the end result is a trip to the conference finals or even the NBA Finals, that criticism will quickly fade away.

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