'Pulp' Friction: Tom Thobideau Responds to Jimmy Butler's Knicks Barbs
Tom Thibodeau doused Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler's attacks on the New York Knicks.
Butler will watch the Knicks' upcoming conference semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers from home but the South Beach superstar claims that his MCL injury sustained in the Play-In round against Philadelphia is the one that ended the Heat's season. In an interview with LL Cool J's Rock the Bells, Butler claimed that he "loved" Thibodeau, the current Knicks head coach who oversaw his NBA maiden voyages in Chicago, but wanted to "beat him to a pulp."
Thibodeau has no issue returning the favor.
“Who?" Thibodeau jokingly asked when asked about Butler's barbs, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. "Don’t know him. … But I will beat him to a pulp.”
Thibodeau and Butler collaborated for four seasons in Chicago (2011-15), which culminated in the latter winning 2014-15's Most Improved Player honor.
Butler has since gone on to become a thorn in the Knicks' side, notably helping oust the Knicks in six games during last year's conference semifinals. Miami's aforementioned loss to Philadelphia in the Play-In denied them a rematch with the Knicks in this postseason's opening round. The Heat eventually secured the eighth and final seed on the Eastern bracket but fell to the top-ranked Boston Celtics in five games.
Hypotheticals from his former protege are probably the furthest thing from Thibodeau's mind. He and the Knicks are instead focused on the Pacers, who descend upon Madison Square Garden for the second round opener on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI
Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks