'It Pops!' New York Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau Softens Stance on NBA In-Season Tournament

Tom Thibodeau lauded the NBA In-Season Tournament's maiden voyage as his New York Knicks prepare to play on special hardwood.

What would an NBA tournament be without the New York Knicks and Miami Heat competing for a championship? 

The long-standing rivalry resumes at Madison Square Garden on Friday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/ESPN) with an added twist: not only will it mark the first time that the Knicks and Heat have done battle since the latter prevailed in a six-game set in last spring's Eastern Conference Semifinal round but it could also go a long way in deciding the winner of the East's Group B in the pool play stage of the ongoing NBA In-Season Tournament.

On its maiden voyage, the In-Season Tournament has drawn both supporters and detractors. Count Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau in the former camp.

Thibodeau was originally lukewarm on the concept, remarking “They’re keeping score, you got to care about it" (h/t Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post) before his team's group play opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 3. With MSG set to host its first In-Season Tournament games, the New York boss appears to be filled with a new kind of holiday spirit. 

Tom Thibodeau is a fan of the NBA's In-Season Tournament / Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS

"Everyone seems to be excited about this Cup and I think the players love it," Thibodeau said on Wednesday, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. "I know the fans love it. It’s been great. I think it pops."

Thibodeau compared the In-Season Tournament to the introduction of the Play-In round during the 2020 season conclusion in the Walt Disney World bubble. The Play-In Tournament now determines the final two postseason seeds at the conclusion of each season. 

“I think everyone is curious to see how it unfolds. I think it’s added intrigue and I think the players are excited about it. I know the fans are,” Thibodeau said. “Much like when the Play-In tournament was first introduced, there was hesitation and everyone saw the great value in it, and so I think it’s good for the league."

"We’ll see where it goes from here. This is just the first one, and it’s been exciting.”

If the Knicks (8-6, 1-1 In-Season Tournament) have any hope of earning automatic entry into the knockout round, they'll need wins over the Heat (9-5, 2-0) and Charlotte Hornets and some help from their friends: New York will be eliminated from group play victor's consideration if the Bucks handle business against the fully-ousted Washington Wizards in another Friday contest. Milwaukee (10-4, 2-0) topped the Knicks 110-105 in the aforementioned opener.

Even if the Knicks are removed from group win consideration, a win will also keep them eligible for the East's wild card spot besowed to the top group runner-up. The East's is currently held by Miami, which will set up a winner-take-all Group B finale on Tuesday against the Bucks with a win in Manhattan. New York hosts Charlotte on that same night.

In either case, fans won't be able to miss the In-Season Tournament games at MSG: the court literally won't allow it.

The Knicks and their NBA brethren have certainly remembered to dress for the occasion, as the In-Season Tournament games showcase revamped City Edition uniforms and extravagant court designs. New York's threads partly resemble those worn during its 1990s heyday while MSG's hardwood will get an orange makeover come Friday night. 

"You’re watching games, you know it’s a Cup game," Thibodeau noted. "You can tell by the court."

Knicks Make Wizards Disappear From In-Season Tournament Contention

Earlier this week, the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers clinched their respective groups to earn spots on the eight-team knockout bracket. A championship final is scheduled for Dec. 9 in Las Vegas, which will also host the semifinal round.

Group play has brought the best out of the NBA finest. Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson, for example, has earned 77 points combined in New York's first two In-Season Tournament showings, including a season-best 45 in the loss to the Bucks. But, as AC/DC once said, money talks: each member of the In-Season Tournament champion's roster will earn an extra $500,000. 

“Everybody always talks about the Cup and everything, but I feel like everybody’s really going out and playing for that money,” Knicks shooting guard Quentin Grimes said, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. “Everybody’s trying to go out there and play for that money. It definitely gives extra motivation to get in the tournament, be there in Vegas, and try to win the whole thing, for sure.”

New York basketball is no stranger to in-season tournament glory: over the summer, the New York Liberty prevailed in the WNBA's third annual Commissioner's Cup final, ironically sealing the deal in Sin City with an 82-63 win over the Las Vegas Aces.