Getty Josh Hart and Tom Thibodeau watching on during an April 14 game against the Chicago Bulls.
Despite being down Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and coaching the New York Knicks to the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference standings, Tom Thibodeau is not a finalist for Coach of the Year.
The three finalists: Chris Finch, Jamahl Mosley, and Mark Daigneault, were announced on April 21.
Knicks forward Josh Hart was the first to take Thibs’ defense as a snubbed candidate for the award.
“50 wins, 2nd seed with an injuried roster for half the season and not a Coach Of The Year candidate…” he wrote in an April 21 tweet response.
He previously won the award in 2010-2011 with the Chicago Bulls, and in 2020-2021, his second season with the Knicks.
Thibodeau’s Case for COY
Thibodeau’s case is a compelling one, albeit not a convincing one as he gets snubbed this time.
Randle missed the final 36 games of the season and will not appear in the playoffs. Robinson missed 50 games in the middle of the year.
The deal for OG Anunoby held major implications, with the team trading starter RJ Barrett and sixth-man Immanuel Quickley. Even more so in the aftermath, when he played in just 24 of 49 possible games.
Through all of that, the New York Knicks and Tom Thibodeau won 50 games, but it wasn’t enough for league-wide recognition.
Finch lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 56-win season, while star center Karl-Anthony Towns missed significant time.
Mosley coached the Orlando Magic to 47 wins after winning just 34 last year. And Daigneault’s Oklahoma City Thunder finished with the best record in the Western Conference.
One could argue each of the finalist achieved similar successes with more talent than Thibodeau. Especially when it was revealed the NBA’s ballot holders don’t view Jalen Brunson of the MVP caliber.
Brunson Not an MVP Finalist
Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the 2023-2024 for the league’s annual MVP award.
Knicks fans knew it was an uphill climb for Brunson to receive the same recognition, but were nonetheless surprised when the finalists were announced and he wasn’t listed.
Because he’s had a career-season, battling all the same issues alongside his coach, but still succeeding as an individual and the leader of a 50-win collective.
Brunson averaged a career-high 28.7 points and 6.7 assists in 77 games played. And gathered a list of accolades along the way.
Twitter used Cilin Philip (@Cilin22) summed it up in an April 21 tweet.
“Personal accolades: NBA All-Star, 4th in the league in scoring, 4x EC Player of the Week, EC Player of the Month,” Philip wrote. “Team success: Leading the Knicks to 2nd in the East with 50 wins despite the team being plagued with injuries (Randle 36 games, OG 27 games , Robinson 51 games). By every metric, JALEN BRUNSON is a top 3 MVP candidate. Not hearing otherwise.”
Brunson may not have a case to win the award, but it’s puzzled many to see him not listed as a finalist.
There are a few arguments as to why he deserves the spot over Gilgeous-Alexander.
He played 77 games to his 75, and logged 173 more minutes than the Thunder point guard. Furthermore, Oklahoma City wasn’t a better team with their star off the floor, but they weren’t a bad team.
According to Cleaning the Glass, in 2,537 possessions with Gilgeous-Alexander off the floor, the Thunder still outscored opponents by 1.2 points per 100 possessions, a net positive.
For the Knicks, non-Brunson minutes have meant disaster all season long, Randle or no Randle. In 2,213 possessions without the starting point guard, New York was outscored by 5.4 points per 100 possessions.
As it stands, neither of Jalen Brunson or Tom Thibodeau is going to change the way the votes have been cast. That much is finalized.
But what isn’t finalized is the New York Knicks finish to the season. Up 1-0 on the Philadelphia 76ers, unfinished business remains for the should-be Coach of the Year and MVP finalists.