During the regular season, Boston led the league in fewest points allowed per game (90.1), field goal percentage allowed (41.9), and 3-point field goal percentage allowed (31.6). Last season, Boston ranked 24th in field goal percentage allowed (46.8), 18th in points allowed (99.2), and allowed opponents to shoot 35 percent from beyond the arc.
"Thib has been the best thing that happened to us," said center Kendrick Perkins.
You might be asking exactly who Thibodeau is. He's easy to find during games. He would be the animated assistant standing next to Rivers when the Celtics are on defense, feverishly barking out instructions and pointing out switches. Thibodeau's feet are often moving along with those of his players. He does everything but get out on the court and deny the passing lanes.
"Coach is real animated. He's real emotional. He's real energetic," said Garnett. "That's what type of defense we try to go out and have. It's an energetic, consistent defense. It's a talkative defense, and when you see him on the side, those are the things that he's put in for us to try to go and carry over to the court."
Thibodeau, who spent the previous four seasons in Houston as an assistant to Jeff Van Gundy, is not vocal with the media. Rivers has a one-voice rule, silencing his assistants. But Thibodeau's track record speaks for itself. In his 18 seasons as an NBA assistant, his teams have finished in the top 10 in team defense 15 times.
"I can do what I want defensively. I can relay it to Tom, and then I don't have to worry about it," said Rivers. "It's very much like a football system in some ways. There are certain things that I want on defense, and he knows what they are. I don't have to waste my voice and my time every second."
As with Garnett, the Celtics were initially rebuffed by Thibodeau. He first agreed to take a job with the Washington Wizards last July before backing out. In late August, he signed on with the Celtics. Van Gundy, his former boss in Houston and for five seasons with the New York Knicks, thought Boston was the best fit all along.
