It was the perfect gift for Tom Thibodeau.
Thibodeau is a proud New Englander, born in New Britain, Conn, a big fan of the Patriots who took root in his early childhood for the Knicks before turning green.
At the age of 63, Thibodeau did not receive a big cake for Tom Brady’s birthday, but he celebrated by returning to New England to destroy the Celtics with defense on Sunday afternoon, 105-75.
This 30-point massacre in Boston ended his club’s five-game series, while the Knicks threw a perfect game against the Celtics in the TD Garden without fans.
In a post-game interview, the first-year Knicks head coach, forever intense, even smiled a few times at Zoom.
“You know I’m never happy,” Thibodeau said with a grin. “I’m not happy unless I’m miserable.”
It was a thrilling afternoon in Beantown – the best so far in its short life. The last time the Knicks beat Boston by at least 30 points was 1997 and Thibs was a young Knicks assistant.
“In fact, I grew up a Knick fan – my father was a Knick fan,” Thibodeau added. “Then when I went to school in Boston [Salem State], was in the mid-’80s, so I became a Celtic fan. The irony is that I ended up working for both teams. If you grow up in Connecticut, it won’t be much better than that. Delighted to be part of two renowned organizations. ”
True, Eastern Conference leaders Celtics were missing superstar Jayson Tatum and had three games postponed last week due to COVID-19.
But the Celtics took the Knicks lightly and paid. Big time. They acted as if their minds were on Brady, still obsessed with New England, bringing Tampa Bay to the NFC Championship game on Sunday later.
The Knicks did not play badly on Friday in the heartbreaking loss in Cleveland and expressed their frustration with the Celtics.
“We told our players this: the way they practice, the attitude, the approach and the way they practice were positive,” Thibodeau said. “I thought I’d go to Cleveland, I thought we were ready to play. We thought we were great in the shootaround and we played well enough to win [Friday] on the road. We did not close the game as we would have liked. Then [Saturday] In practice, I thought it was great. As long as we do the right things. I know we will improve and continue to improve. ”
A day as promising as the Knicks (6-8) is just as good for the Brooklyn Dream Team. If the Celtics are the biggest obstacle to the NBA Finals, you can book Kevin Durant and James Harden’s trip to Los Angeles this summer.
The Knicks veterans and their two debutants, goalkeeper Immanuel Quickley and striker Obi Toppin, played in their stock in the first round, combining for 29 points to 12 of 20 shots.
“If we continue to play as we did today, we will win a lot of games,” said Toppin, who ultimately looked like a lottery pick in scoring 12 points and hitting 2 of 4 3-pinters.
Thibodeau’s club harassed the sleepy Celts in one of the worst shooting performances outside of their history – 7 out of 46 (15.2 percent) from the 3-point line. The Celts could not have hit water if they threw tea in Boston Harbor.
“The defense is leading to offense,” said Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, who climbed despite being crushed. “Communication was there.”
Robinson participated in the contest with a blunt heel, then made an ugly spill in the first half after blocking a 3-point shot. He injured his knee, but limped one day on a football Sunday like a pig warrior, still an active car.
Meanwhile, Quickley took out his usual fatigue and made the disappointed Toppin walk early with an alley-oop lobe.
Thibodeau maintained his position, keeping Quickley on the bench and Elfrid Patyon as the starter. He was rewarded. There is enough time to change. Once he’s done, he can’t come back or it’s David Fizdale.
Subsequently, Thibodeau addressed the Quickley issue that encompassed social media enthusiasts. Payton’s defense is best used to set the tone early, Thibodeau said, and the Knicks broke the Celtics from the opening tap. Coach Knicks said he would love to see Payton-Quickley as a pair on the road.
“I love both guys – they’re different and they bring different things to the team,” Thibodeau said. “It gives us great flexibility. Elfrid, when you look at his defense and his size, a lot of these guards, especially today’s NBA goalkeepers, are a daunting task. Elfrid understands how to defend them. He can play for us. And when Quickley comes in, he gives us a different look. ”
Of course, it’s easier to win in this famous hall minus the hectic crowd in Boston. TD Garden is the hottest building in the Eastern Conference. Knicks made it as quiet as Sunday church.
It now goes from Thibodeau’s birthday in Boston to Martin Luther King’s Day in the Garden. Sunday will have more significance on the field if the Knicks are as successful in MLK Day against Orlando.