Carlisle: No surprise Thibs has team winning

The Knicks are on a twogame losing streak after coughing up a 13-point fourth-quarter lead Wednesday to the NBA’s worst team, the Timberwolves.

But none of that can dampen the shine coach Tom Thibodeau has put on the Knicks in his first season. The same shine he put on the Bulls and, however, briefly, Minnesota.

“I could tell you that none of the coaches that know him are surprised at all that this turnaround is happening,’’ Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “Thibs is a difference-maker, man.’’

Carlisle, who will coach his 1,500th NBA game on Friday against the Knicks, is the president of the NBA Coaches Association and knows the standing of his members.

Carlisle cited Thibodeau’s fast impact in Chicago and then leading Minnesota to break its 14-year playoff drought in 2017-18.

Thibodeau’s first return to Minnesota on Wednesday was spoiled with the Knicks’ late collapse as their top two players, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, failed in the clutch to pull out the win.

But that victory by the Wolves made them just 48106 since Thibodeau was fired in January 2019.

The Knicks are 24-24 under Thibodeau — tied for fifth place in the East entering Thursday — and playing meaningful games after the All-Star break for the first time since 2014. Their playoff drought is seven years.

➤ Barrett has played in all 48 games, but his late-game fold in Minnesota could move the Knicks to rest him against the Mavericks. He popped up as questionable on the injury report for Friday, though showed no signs of any distress on his last-second missed 19footer jumper . ... Derrick Rose is also questionable with an ankle sprain and could miss his 12th game as a Knick. Ten of his absences were due to COVID-19.