New York Knicks: Why Tom Thibodeau is worth the risk

Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks candidate (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

As the New York Knicks consider a new head coach, Tom Thibodeau fits a strategy that’s actually worked.

The New York Knicks were once a defensive power that made life hectic for every team that entered Madison Square Garden. That reputation traveled decades, enabling New York to be a perennial contender in both the 1950s, 1970s, and 1990s, with a pocket of bliss in the 1980s.

Since the Knicks abandoned that defensive-minded approach to the game, however, it’s been a steady path to borderline irrelevance.

New York’s woes are well-documented at this point—four playoff appearances in 19 years, no title since 1973, no Finals…