There are two ways to view a trademark of Tom Thibodeau’s teams: They either get better, or they start worse.
In his three seasons with the Knicks, Thibodeau’s record pre-All-Star break is 77-79 (49.3 percent).
His record post All-Star: 48-32 (60 percent).
Pretty stark and incongruous with Thibodeau’s reputation for wearing down his players.
In Chicago, Thibodeau’s difference was less dramatic but still evident: 156-91 (63.1 percent) pre-All-Star break, and 99-48 (67.3 percent) post.
It’s relevant to the larger picture as the Knicks start their season Wednesday against the Celtics.
There’s two competing themes at play.
On one hand, the opening schedule is treacherous, a slate that includes 15 road games in the first 25 contests.
By Christmas, the Knicks will have faced the Celtics (twice), Cavaliers (twice), Heat, Suns, Lakers, Clippers and — get this — the Bucks three times.
On the other hand, the Knicks have sold continuity and familiarity as one of their greatest assets.
Those should compel rapid success.
Theoretically, the Knicks will be worrying less about that common NBA excuse for early-season struggles, “We’re still getting used to each other.”
“I think as we’ve gotten into this, a lot of stuff is familiar,” Jalen Brunson said during training camp. “Obviously we’ll refresh on some things and touch on some stuff. But it’s a lot of familiarity. We know what we want to do, know each other’s tendencies. So when we play it’s a little difficult, it’s a little sloppy but we know what each other do.
“And it’s what we want. We want everybody locked in. Everybody healthy. And just everyone is ready to go.”
The Knicks are indeed fully healthy for Wednesday, the first true test of their “continuity” boasts.
The opponent, the Celtics, is a championship contender but may require an adjustment period with two new starters.
One of the newcomers, Kristaps Porzingis, is certainly familiar to the Knicks.
His presence in MSG was once the best reason to believe in the franchise’s future.
Now he’s a 7-foot-3 obstacle on the green-and-white rival.
“Even playing Kristaps last year, just another guy who can shoot, he’s tall. Protect the rim,” Isaiah Hartenstein said. “So I’m excited to play him the first game of the season. I think that’s always a challenge we’re ready for.”
The Knicks and Celtics engaged in a bit of a cat-and-mouse game during the preseason.
They faced each other twice but alternately sat their starters, leaving little to glean from the matchups.
Jayson Tatum destroyed the Knicks backups during the preseason game in Boston and remains a bonafide MVP candidate.
He’s still waiting for his first big-time “MSG Game,” a rite of passage for the megastars.
New point guard Jrue Holiday provides Boston with one of the league’s best perimeter defenders.
“That’s a big get [for the Celtics],” Brunson said. “[Holiday’s] obviously a great player and the things he’s able to do on both sides of the ball is going to help them as a team. … Boston got a really big piece and so that’s something we have to look out for.”
The Knicks, meanwhile, are returning their entire rotation minus Obi Toppin.
Their learned cohesion makes it logical to bet on a hot start.
But that’s not how Thibodeau’s teams have operated.
Plus, the schedule is daunting.
Thibodeau, true to his character, refused to indulge the idea that there’s a future beyond the next game.
“Don’t get ahead,” the coach said. “If you start jumping ahead and saying, ‘Well, I’ll be ready when this happens, I’ll flip on the switch.’
“No, you’re not flipping the switch.”
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