Tom Thibodeau isn't the taskmaster he once was

Tom Thibodeau has often been viewed as the most demanding coach in the NBA. The narrative surrounding his coaching style is that of heavy minutes and relentless practice sessions. 

However, his track record speaks for itself. Thibodeau has coached 903 regular-season games, 518 of which he's won. He's also coached 71 playoff games, winning 31.

Since joining the New York Knicks, Thibodeau has overseen a slow but steady growth. Now, the Knicks are viewed as a potential contender in the Eastern Conference. 

The roster is playing Thibodeau's patented style of basketball. Yet, Donte DiVincenzo, who joined the team during the summer, believes the head coach's reputation is far from reality.

“From the outside world, there’s always (a different view)," DiVincenzo told Sam Amick of The Athletic. "But in our house — in-house — we have a good dynamic and we enjoy it and everybody enjoys being around each other. To the outside world, you don’t really know. All you know is perception. All you know is the history from other teams (Thibodeau has coached) and his years with different organizations. But we’ve had plenty of rest days, plenty of off days.”

DiVincenzo has been a core part of the Knicks roster this season. It's likely no coincidence that one of his best seasons is occurring under Thibodeau's leadership. The veteran coach has built the Knicks in his image. Now, with everyone pulling in the same direction, he's reaping the rewards. 

Thibodeau may never shake his reputation as a hard-nosed, old-school coach. However, he has helped lead the Knicks back into relevancy and could potentially lead them to a championship run in the coming years. He has shouldered the expectations and scrutiny of coaching in the Big Apple in his stride. 

If the Knicks win a championship under Thibodeau, our perception of his methods will have to change. Some players might not like his approach, but it gets results.