Doctors chime in as NBA tries to plan out

As the Knicks move on from both David Fizdale and Mike Miller, it’s Tom Thibodeau’s name that has risen to the forefront of candidates for the head coaching job. One player who has expertise on both Thibodeau and the Knicks?

Nate Robinson.

Robinson, a retired high-flying point guard who now works and plays at The Big 3, got his start at the Garden when the Knicks drafted him 21st overall in 2005. He spent just over four seasons with the Knicks, posting career-high averages of 17 points per game in 2009, before his career took him on a journey through seven other teams.

One of those teams was Thibodeau’s Bulls.

Robinson was a member of the Bulls team that went 50-16 during the 2011-12 season that was shortened to 66 games due to the lockout. And the former Knicks guard was complimentary of Thibodeau in a recent interview with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson.

“To be honest, Coach Thibs is one of the dopest coaches I’ve ever played for,” Robinson told Scoop on #WORDSWITHSCOOP Instagram Live. “One, he showed me professionalism, really how to be a student of the game; studying the playbook, studying players…it’s like knowing your enemy better than it knows itself and being prepared.

“He’s always prepared. He always has a plan A, B, C, D, E, F and G so, that’s one thing that they’re going to get out of coach Thibs.”

The Knicks’ roster is one that could use some studying. The team’s best

Here’s some of what awaits NBA players going to Disney next month: game rooms, golf course access, cabanas with misters to combat the heat, fishing areas, bowling, backstage tours and salon services. It only sounds like vacation. The NBA described very specific plans to players and player, RJ Barrett, has yet to scratch the surface of his potential. Barrett averaged 14 points, five rebounds and two assists per game as a rookie. Under Thibodeau, Derrick Rose became the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2011.

Under Thibodeau, the Bulls also became one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Robinson said he expects ‘Thibs’ to bring that focus to the Garden as well, should he get the nod for the job.

“He expects every player to practice, every player to bring their A game and he preaches with defense first; if you play defense you will get offense,” he said. “So if you want to play offense, you got to play defense. I loved that about him and he’s just a hard nosed coach.”

The Knicks were a bottom-10 team in defensive rating this season, giving up an average of more than 112 points per 100 possessions. For reference, the league’s worst defense, the Wizards, gave up an average of 115 points per 100 possessions, while the top defense, the Bucks, limited opponents to 101.6 points per 100 possessions.

Thibodeau earned a reputation as a hard coach to play for over the years. He has historically given his players more minutes than his counterparts, as was seen both in Chicago and in Minnesota.

Robinson reflected and appreciated the opportunity to play for him.

“But he’s a good dude, man, and he was really hard on us, especially hard on me, but he’s hard on a lot of players, especially the ones that he really believed in,” Robinson said. “It took me a while to understand that and he gave me opportunities, so I have nothing bad to say about the man. He’s been awesome.” teams for the restart on Tuesday, doing so in a memo and handbook both obtained by The Associated Press. With safety being of the foremost importance during the coronavirus pandemic, players were told they will be tested regularly — but not with the deep nasal swabs — and must adhere to strict physical distancing and mask-wearing policies.

The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been working on the terms of how the restart will work for weeks, all while constantly seeking advice from medical experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci, perhaps the best-known physician in the country when it comes to the battle against COVID-19.

“My confidence, it didn’t exist at the beginning of this virus because I was so frightened by it,” union executive director Michele Roberts told the AP. “Now having lived, and breathed, and suffered through the hours and hours of understanding the virus, and listening to our experts, and comparing different alternative protocols, I can’t even think of anything else we could do short of hermetically seal the players that would keep them safe.”

Players must tell their teams by June 24 if they intend to play or not, according to a memo sent to NBPA members. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said that if a player does not feel comfortable playing at Disney — whether for health reasons or because of social