Knicks Coach Among Award Favorites

New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is about to enter his fifth season with the team in his current tenure, and it could be the best yet if things go in the right direction.

Thibodeau, 66, led the Knicks to 50 wins last season, which was the franchise’s best mark in over a decade. The record got New York to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and within one game of the Conference Finals.

In the offseason, the Knicks cemented their status as a contender by trading for Mikal Bridges and re-signing OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson to long-term extensions, solidifying the core of the team for the foreseeable future. Thibodeau also signed an extension of his own to lead the team throughout the next four seasons.

DraftKings released betting odds for the Coach of the Year award for the 2024-25 season and Thibodeau ranked fifth with +1300 odds.

Only Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets (+900), Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics (+1000), Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic (+1000) and Nick Nurse of the Philadelphia 76ers (+1200) had better odds.

The Coach of the Year is usually someone leading a contending team, and Thibodeau is expected to check off that box this season.

A good coach often is able to get a team to buy into a philosophy, and Thibodeau has certainly done that with the Knicks. Thibodeau has always been a hard-nosed, defensive-minded coach, and if last season was any indication, the Knicks have certainly adopted that mindset.

If they can dive in further into that mindset that Thibodeau has instilled in them, the Knicks will have an even greater chance of becoming true contenders and possibly earning the franchise’s first NBA title in over 50 years.

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