INDIANAPOLIS — Regardless of what happens over the next three games, which includes Saturday's first look at the revamped Heat, the Bulls will hit the season's midway point Monday night with their best 41-game record since the 1997-98 season.
There are plenty of reasons for this.
Derrick Rose's ascension to elite status. Carlos Boozer's scoring ability. Joakim Noah's rebounding and defensive intensity. Luol Deng's versatility and reliability.
But where do the efforts of coach Tom Thibodeau and his staff rank? After all, the rookie head coach has been praised by some fans for his acumen while being derided by others for continuing to start Keith Bogans.
Asking Thibodeau to assess his own performance is like asking Noah to vacation in Cleveland. It's not going to happen.
So we asked Gar Forman.
For his first extensive comments on the 18th coach in franchise history, the Bulls' general manager placed only one stipulation on the interview — no questions about game management.
"He's the coach and should be allowed freedom there," Forman said.
Forman said plenty more.
Overall, how would you assess Tom's performance?
I think he has been great. You followed the whole (coaching) search and we did extensive research on anybody we were planning to consider. We researched Tom as far as coaches he had worked for and players he had coached. So we had a pretty good feel for what we were getting. He's been everything we thought we were getting and more.
How do you think he has related to players?
He does a terrific job. He builds relationships and trust. Players know that they're being thoroughly prepared each and every day in practice for every game. With that comes a high level of respect and trust. For example, Joakim. We've all seen throughout his years in the league, assistants do an excellent job as far as player development. But Tom will go down on the floor and work individually with players in the summer. I don't know how many head coaches will do that. I've talked to players who have expressed a high level of respect for him because of that. He has developed strong relationships with our key guys like Joakim and Derrick and Carlos and Luol. But he develops relationships with all players.
What do you think of his work ethic?
I've never seen anything like it. I kidded him one day that he shouldn't even rent or buy a house. He absolutely lives in the Berto Center. He's there early in the morning. He's there late at night. I go in a lot on weekends and he and his staff are there working.
Do you worry about burnout?
No, because he's so passionate about what he does. And he enjoys what he does so much. That's who he is. He has done that for the 20-plus years he has been in the league. Everyone we talked to said his work ethic is incredible and it is.
At the news conference to begin your search, you said two of the main things you were seeking were accountability and leadership. How has he fared in those areas?
The thing about Tom — and I've been around coaches for 30-plus years in college and the NBA — is I've never seen a guy pay such great attention to detail. I've seen a lot of coaches work and been to a lot of practices. Tom doesn't let little things slide. He holds guys accountable on the floor. There's such a carryover from that to the games. The word I've used a lot is he has a real "base" to his philosophy and belief system to what he wants done. And he holds guys accountable to it on a daily basis. And there's very little slippage in that, no matter your status on the team. As a leader, he has built trust because he's knowledgeable. And our team has been prepared for any situation that might come. The flow to his practices is so good. The same things are emphasized every day so there's a base to what we do. He drills things so that they become second nature. Guys are then not thinking but reacting on the floor.
At the news conference announcing Tom's hiring, you said the interview process projected him to be a good communicator and teacher. Has he been?
He has a great way of communicating with guys and teaching. And he's not a guy who is just beating guys down where his voice is raised. He has a presence and belief system and he holds true to that. And he drills the team on that every day. As far as the teaching is concerned, there is attention to detail on different footwork, screening angles, defensive schemes. And it's consistent. You can tell he has a certain philosophy of how he wants his teams to play that he has developed over all these years in the league. There's no question what he wants done. When we went through the hiring process, we believe from an organizational standpoint that it starts at the defensive end. And that's obviously one of the areas in which he excels.
What's your working relationship like with him?
It has been great. We talk on a daily basis. Through that communication, we've developed a trust level with each other. We talk about the team. We talk about games. We talk about player personnel issues. And he self analyzes when we talk. He'll go back and talk over decisions he has made. It's not like he thinks he's always right. There's good back-and-forth on a variety of topics.
As your relationship has taken shape, has anything about him surprised you?
I don't know if it's surprise. But people see him during games and obviously he's very serious about what he does. But he has a terrific way of relating with people and he has a good sense of humor. That's something when you're not around him every day, people probably don't see that as much.
One topic in the wake of his hiring was his rookie head coaching status. Has anything he has done underscored that issue and caused you concern?
I think the transition (from assistant to head coach) has been seamless. Obviously, any of us in any of our jobs, you're always trying to learn and get better. But I think the transition has been easy for him. He prepared himself his entire career to become a head coach. I certainly think he was ready. He was probably more than ready.
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