Did Tom Thibodeau reveal trade secrets to the Celtics?

When a coach is fired in a messy team divorce, and drops into the practice gym of a division rival—the tea is piping hot. That’s exactly what happened Monday, when Tom Thibodeau, the former head coach of the New York Knicks, joined practice at the Boston Celtics’ Auerbach Center and helped break down film from last season’s Knicks-Celtics series for Boston. What a hot mess.

The Celtics’ own star, Jaylen Brown, was candid: “Having Thibs … give us some of the thoughts that he saw in that series … helps us grow and learn from that.

And that’s where the question comes: Should Knicks fans feel betrayed? Did Thibodeau expose the playbook of his former team? Or is this simply the blueprint of today’s hyper-connected NBA? For sure, it's certainly petty on Thibs part.

Thibodeau was relieved of his duties in New York in June 2025 despite piloting the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. He showed up in Boston with seemingly the sole intention to “break down film” of his old team’s tactics. Specifically, how the Knicks beat the Celtics last season.

If you’re a Knicks fan, you might wonder: What secrets were shared? Does it matter with a brand new coach, system and bench?

Should Knicks fans feel betrayed?

The cringe reaction from Knicks fans is understandable. Coaches are trusted to protect strategy. When one switches allegiances, explicitly to the team you upset in the playoffs, it reeks of a leak.

But let’s unpack the nuance:

Thibodeau is no longer under contract with New York; he’s free to engage wherever he chooses.
What he shared likely reflects general themes. Like what he saw worked in last season’s series.
The NBA ecosystem is tightly woven: coaches, assistants, scouts, players all shift, mingle, and share concepts.

In short: It stings—especially for fans who watched the Knicks reach the ECF only to see their former coach assist a rival. But it may not be betrayal so much as the cost of modern openness in professional sports.

The interconnected NBA reality

Let’s look at the bigger picture. The NBA today is built on film and advanced analytics. Elements every coach has access to. Including for other teams. Coaches attend other teams’ clinics, assistants move across conferences, ideas flow quickly and become trends. Thibodeau’s session with Boston might actually be a manifestation of that culture.

Brown called the session “awesome,” acknowledging that Boston wants to learn—and wants that from a guy who coached their nemesis.

The analogy: in business you bring in a consultant who knows your competitor to share insights; in the NBA the same. It’s just more visible, and when it happens across divisional rival lines it grabs headlines.

What it means for Knicks fans going forward

If you’re firmly in the Knicks camp, here are a few takeaways:

The franchise is moving on. They hired Mike Brown this summer, signifying a new era.
The film that Thibodeau broke down? It's already outdated. The Knicks will change things. On both sides of the ball.
Staying competitive means adapting. If your former coach is helping an opponent, well, maybe it should spur you to innovate even faster.

In the end, was there betrayal? Maybe to the contingency of Knicks fan’s who fell on the sword for Thibs. But in league logic, the edge belongs to those who adapt.

Colts Risers and Fallers in Decimation of Raiders

The Indianapolis Colts are now 4-1 after decimating the Las Vegas Raiders by 34 points, ending with a score of 40-6. After such a dominating display, the Colts have shown they are a legitimate contender and playoff-level squad.

Now 3-0 at home through five weeks, Indianapolis is riding high with Daniel Jones & Co. playing elite-level football.

After another efficient performance, here are the risers and fallers from a statement victory over the struggling Raiders.

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Riser | Daniel Jones

Jones continued to show that he's a true starting QB against the Raiders. Jones finished the game accurately and turnover-free. Jones tallied 20 completions on 29 attempts (69 percent) for 212 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Jones is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and he doesn't appear to be slowing down. The former New York Giants QB looks comfortable and happy in Shane Steichen's offense, and his numbers, as well as victories, prove that notion.

Faller | Penalties

It wasn't easy to find negatives in a game where Indianapolis essentially did everything great. However, penalties are still an issue. Against the Raiders, Indianapolis accrued nine for a total of 77 yards. The biggest was when linebacker Joe Bachie drew a holding call, removing a massive Ashton Dulin touchdown return.

Indy's issue with penalties can't continue against better competition. While it didn't hamper the Colts at all in a dominant victory over the Raiders, a great case of what can happen is last week, when Adonai Mitchell was caught holding on a Jonathan Taylor touchdown. Expect Steichen to make a point to clean this up as much as possible.

Riser | Offensive Line

It would be too easy to give this entry to Taylor, who had another three-touchdown performance. Instead, the offensive line will be shown love. After a brutal showing against the Rams last week, the Colts' offensive trenches had their way with Las Vegas up front.

The lowest Pro Football Focus offensive grade was Braden Smith (64.7), and the highest was Bernhard Raimann (79.3). Indy's protection kept Jones clean with zero sacks allowed and a mere four pressures. Indy's offensive line has been great this year, allowing Jones and Taylor to thrive.

Faller | Containing Ashton Jeanty

Indy's defense kept the Raiders to just six points, which means the stop troops deserve praise. However, if one area can be criticized, it's how much of an impact Ashton Jeanty was allowed to have as a runner and receiver.

Jeanty finished with 67 rushing yards (4.8 yards per carry) and 42 receiving yards (8.4 yards per catch) for 109 all-purpose yards. This accounted for 36.8 percent of Las Vegas' total yards (296). The Colts will look to limit key playmakers moving forward in the 2025 season.

Riser | Overwhelming Geno Smith

Raiders QB Geno Smith walked into this contest with turnover struggles, but added to that after facing Anarumo's defense. Smith couldn't get into a rhythm and sustained 13 pressures. This led to two interceptions (Laiatu Latu, Mekhi Blackmon), bringing Smith's season total to nine.

Smith was uncomfortable and confused reading Anarumo's coverage, and despite being accurate, his passes yielded a minuscule impact of 9.12 yards per completion. Indianapolis was nearly perfect facing Smith and will try to replicate that against Kyler Murray next week.

Faller | Spencer Shrader's Injury

Indianapolis Colts kicker Spencer Shrader has been sensational through five weeks, logging 13/14 field goals and 14/14 on extra points. However, Shrader sustained what looked to be a serious knee injury early against the Raiders. He wouldn't return to action.

Head coach Steichen confirmed that it 'doesn't look good.'

Shrader has been one of the best kickers in the NFL so far this year, so if Indianapolis has to miss his services for an extended amount of time, they'll need to likely sign a new name to provide a stop gap until the former Notre Dame Fighting Irish alum returns to action.