Quotes from Tom Thibodeau

I know where confidence comes from: Work and preparation.

If you don't control the ball, you're dead.

All my coaches growing up, they were teachers, coaches, and I always had an appreciation for the most demanding teachers because I thought they got the most out of you.

When you get the second defender on the ball, their responsibility is to get rid of it, to make plays for their teammates.

I think that when you sort of look at what's gone on where players are familiar with each other - it starts in high school with AAU. When they get to the pros there's All-Star Games, they share agents and then there's Team U.S.A. stuff. They build relationships.

Figuring out what your players do well and finding a system that will work effectively for them gives you the best chance of winning.

Everyone tends to measure people on points and shots and not the all-around game.

The biggest thing is chemistry on the floor and winning.

Whether you're talking about the 70s Knicks or the 90s Knicks, the championship-caliber teams, it all starts with your defense, your rebounding, your willingness to play for each other.

There's no shortcuts to winning. You have to be willing to pay the price and be willing to sacrifice.

As you prepare for the draft, the first thing you do is evaluate the players you think will be coming out. Then you explore the possibility of either moving up or moving back.

I go home and enjoy myself like everyone else.

What wins still goes back to who you are as a player and what you do well. If you're a great 3-point shooter, you try to get as many of those shots as you can. If you're a good driver, get in the restricted area.

I think when a team wins, the fans enjoy it.

You have to have a mentality. This is a business. This ain't hanging out having a good time

Nothing great was ever achieved without great work and great effort. It's really that simple.

If you're guarded, you drive the ball or move the ball and make a quick decision, and help someone else.

There's no magic formula where you're going to get everything done in one day. I think it's about establishing and building the right habits to be successful.

I think when you look at Jimmy Butler when he came in, he hardly played as a rookie. He played more each year and then would become a top-10 player in the league. It's a testament to his work ethic and how he approached things.

I try to work out. As an assistant, it was a lot easier to work out. Then as a head coach, not as much as I should have.

One guy being off is going to hurt you. So you need everyone working together.

I think it's important to reflect at the conclusion of each season. That should never change, in terms of how you evaluate yourself.

I know for me, I put everything I have into each and every day. So I have no regrets.

Sometimes to make up ground, if you're in a big hole, you might add more 3-point shooting.