“ The Brooklyn Elite (Brooklyn's Finest) ! “, Tom Thibodeau cut smiling when a journalist asks him to say a few words about Taj Gibson, a native of Brooklyn. The Knicks coach returned to his historic interior a few days ago, signed to compensate for the long-term injury absence of Mitchell Robinson.
Barely back, already mobilized. After handfuls of disputed minutes against the Suns, Clippers and Lakers, as well as away matches, the 38-year-old was also thrown into the mix for last night's New York derby in Brooklyn. This time for 13 minutes of play, to accumulate 2 points, as many rebounds and blocks.
“ I was tired, I'm not going to lie! The young people are making fun of me! It's difficult, especially with a complicated away schedule. We don't really have the chance to train with the guys “, book inside after meetingduring which we saw him take a breath.
This night, Isaiah Hartenstein regained the starting place (2 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes), since the other option for the pivot position with the Knicks, Jericho Sims, also joined the infirmary. Taj Gibson, who had been waiting for a new contract since the start of the season, therefore seems to have returned to do something other than make up the numbers.
Play for something
“ I'm happy to be back, to try to help the team as much as I can because I understand that we're playing for something. I'm happy to be back home, to wear this jersey “, continues the elder who considers, beyond his native borough, all of New York to be his ” family “.
Tom Thibodeau is also one of his close friends in the world of basketball. The two men played together in Chicago, then in Minnesota, before finding themselves in the “Big Apple”. So there is no shortage of compliments for him from the technician.
“ What can we say about him? He's like that. If he hadn't played a minute, he still would have contributed. Because he is the ultimate professional, a great teammate, he will do everything we ask of him. We can start with him, bring him off the bench, he may not be in the rotation, he will find a way to have a positive impact on the team », Judges the coach.
The latter, who does not rule out the idea of mobilizing Julius Randle or even Josh Hart on position 5, adds: “ And if he's not playing, he has good energy, he's optimistic, which is very important for your team. It’s great for our young people to see that. He didn't play this long in this league by accident. »And therefore it is no coincidence that the Knicks call on him again.
| Taj Gibson | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2009-10 | CHI | 82 | 27 | 49.4 | 0.0 | 64.6 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 7.5 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 9.0 |
| 2010-11 | CHI | 80 | 22 | 46.6 | 12.5 | 67.6 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 5.7 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 7.1 |
| 2011-12 | CHI | 63 | 20 | 49.5 | 0.0 | 62.2 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 5.3 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 7.7 |
| 2012-13 | CHI | 65 | 23 | 48.5 | 0.0 | 67.9 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 5.3 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 8.0 |
| 2013-14 | CHI | 82 | 29 | 47.9 | 0.0 | 75.1 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 6.8 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 13.0 |
| 2014-15 | CHI | 62 | 27 | 50.2 | 0.0 | 71.7 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 6.4 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 10.3 |
| 2015-16 | CHI | 73 | 27 | 52.5 | 0.0 | 69.2 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 6.9 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 8.6 |
| 2016-17 * | All Teams | 78 | 26 | 51.5 | 23.1 | 71.5 | 2.0 | 4.2 | 6.2 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 10.9 |
| 2016-17 * | CHI | 55 | 27 | 52.1 | 16.7 | 71.4 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 7.0 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 11.6 |
| 2016-17 * | OKAY | 23 | 21 | 49.7 | 100.0 | 71.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 9.0 |
| 2017-18 | MIN | 82 | 33 | 57.7 | 20.0 | 76.8 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 7.1 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 12.2 |
| 2018-19 | MIN | 70 | 24 | 56.6 | 32.4 | 75.7 | 2.5 | 4.1 | 6.5 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 10.8 |
| 2019-20 | NYK | 62 | 17 | 58.4 | 28.6 | 73.2 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 6.1 |
| 2020-21 | NYK | 45 | 21 | 62.7 | 20.0 | 72.7 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 5.4 |
| 2021-22 | NYK | 52 | 18 | 51.8 | 39.5 | 80.8 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 4.4 |
| 2022-23 | W.A.S. | 49 | 10 | 52.0 | 33.3 | 71.4 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 3.4 |
| 2023-24 | NYK | 3 | 5 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Total | 948 | 24 | 51.8 | 26.4 | 71.3 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 5.9 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 8.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
