The Knicks have shocked the NBA world by taking a 19-18 record into the second half of the NBA season, which New York kicks off Thursday night against the Bucks, and one of the ties to the franchise’s last true contender believes this turnaround is for real.
Former Knicks point guard Charlie Ward, the team’s regular starter in 1999 when New York last reached the NBA Finals, played under Tom Thibodeau during his Knicks tenure, when the current head coach was an assistant to head coach Jeff Van Gundy, and Ward believes in Thibodeau’s coaching approach, which has already paid drastic dividends for a Knicks team sniffing an improbable playoff berth.
“Thibs, as we know it, he’s detailed, he’s a hard worker and he’s no-nonsense in a lot of ways, but he’s improved in that area, especially with the younger guys,” Ward said in an interview with Moose & Maggie on Thursday. “He’s had to learn or make some changes in his approach to the game, but not just the details of it.”
Ward also played a season in Houston with the Rockets, where Thibodeau was an assistant coach after his tenure with the Knicks, and after years of experience playing under his watch, Ward isn’t surprised at how much the Knicks have improved this season, given how much attention and work Thibodeau puts in his coaching.
To illustrate Thibodeau’s intensity and dedication, Ward remembered one of his early summers with the Knicks, just a few years before New York marched to the Finals as the eighth seed.
“I was in I think my second or third year,” Ward remembered. “I wasn’t playing summer league, but we happened to be at a summer league practice, and Thibs was in charge. The team was literally on the floor for three hours. He was going over every single detail. That’s just who he is. That’s his makeup.”
That attention to detail has helped crucial Knicks pieces take significant strides in Thibodeau’s first year as the Knicks head coach, with RJ Barrett taking big shooting strides in his sophomore season, and Julius Randle has blossomed into an All-Star. That doesn’t surprise Ward, who believes the Knicks could make their triumphant return to the playoffs if they continue along their current trajectory.
“I think if they can continue to improve, the young guys continue to get better and of course you need your stars to be stars,” Ward said. “Julius Randle is having a great season, and adding Derrick Rose…if Elfrid Payton can continue to be consistent and play well at the point guard position…they definitely have what it takes to be consistent and make the playoffs this year.”
If the Knicks do weather a much tougher second half schedule and complete this unexpected turnaround to reach the postseason, Ward knows who deserves the bulk of the recognition.
“All of that is a credit to Thibs and his structure,” Ward said. “I know he’s given the guys roles, that’s who he is. Hopefully he’s on the same page as Leon Rose and the administration…if they can all be in unison, they can definitely make their mark in the East.”
Listen to Ward's full interview with Moose & Maggie below!
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