Knicks’ playoff run disproving this Tom Thibodeau label

The reputation is one thing. The reality is another.

The Knicks don’t care about the former. They’re benefitting from the latter.

A narrative that coach Tom Thibodeau is stubborn, stuck in his ways with a “my way or the highway” mentality and hesitant to make needed adjustments has hovered over him throughout his career. But his current players see the opposite.

“I think once you have a label, it’s hard to shed that label,” Josh Hart said after practice Monday. “This whole, I don’t want to call it a run because it’s two series, but those two series [against the Pistons and Celtics], he showed that he’s willing to adapt, he’s willing to change, he’s willing to do different things than he’s used to. Obviously, that’s a willingness on his end, the trust and belief in his players.

“Everyone gave him a label and they just ran with that label for the last 10, 15 years. But I think the last two series showed his ability to adapt and change when necessary.”

How specifically has Thibodeau changed or adapted?