Chicago was the first head coaching gig for Thibs, after 20 years of work as an assistant coach. He was part of the Boston Celtics team that won an NBA championship shortly before joining the Bulls.
Thibs was an immediate success. He took over a Chicago squad that just needed that little nudge over the top to hit their peak. His innovative defensive schemes, that were eventually adopted by most of the NBA, helped push the Bulls to 62 wins during the 2010-11 season, his first in charge. They also went deep into the playoffs that season, causing many older Chicago fans to remember the good old days of championships.