New York Knicks fans noticed a surprising development on Monday: Tom Thibodeau was seen at the Auerbach Center, attending the Boston Celtics' practice. Now, many are wondering why exactly he would have been at the practice of a team he hasn't been affiliated with in over 15 years, and some are going into full conspiracy theory mode.
Of course, it's been an interesting few months for the former Knicks coach. Thibodeau led New York through a breakthrough season this past year, knocking off the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals and reaching their first Conference Finals since 2000. Even despite the Knicks' great achievement, Thibs was dismissed in the offseason. While many now see Mike Brown as an upgrade, it's still not 100% clear as to why the former coach was let go.
That makes his visit to Boston's practice on Monday all the more curious. As for Knicks fans, the gears in the head are turning fast. This is probably just a friendly coaching visit, but of course some are going to see it as something more than just that. Those fully embracing the conspiracy theories are thinking that it could be him getting some sort of revenge on his old team by going behind enemy lines.
Do I honestly believe Thibodeau would do something disingenuous like that? No, I don't, especially considering he won a championship in Boston as an assistant coach back in 2008. But the opinion may be different depending on which Knicks fan you talk to. Joe Mazzulla spoke about Thibs' presence at practice, giving the former Celtics assistant high praise.
Tom Thibodeau attended Celtics practice in Boston
"He's been, obviously, one of the best coaches around for a long time," Mazzulla said. "Worked here. Won a championship here. Having him around makes me better, makes our organization better, so just a lot of respect for him."
Jaylen Brown also chimed in with his own thoughts on Thibodeau's presence. "I think that was awesome, having Thibs," Brown said. "Obviously, they eliminated us last year, so him being able to give us some of the thoughts that he saw in that series and some of the stuff that they broke down in our personnel or even our team, helps us grow and learn from that.
"We lost last year, it stung, losing to the Knicks. So, to have Thibs here at our practice and explaining some of the things that he saw that helped them beat us, only helps me get better, [it] only helps us get better, so I value that. Shoutout to Thibs for being here today."
Overall, the likely outcome of this situation is that it's a harmless visit by a legendary coach to one of his former organizations. But for those who are still searching for more answers as to why the Knicks ultimately moved on from Thibodeau, the alternative narratives are understandably irresistible.