Thibs might be too hardcore for Bulls players

Chris Sheridan is reporting there’s a mutiny brewing in Chicago:

I told you yesterday about mutterings I have heard around the league that Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has lost his locker room. Then last night, Derrick Rose poured jet fuel on the fire with some of the strongest comments he has made as a professional, including “we are not on the same page.” Rose rarely if ever uses expletives, but he used them Monday night after the Bulls got crushed by the Cavs 108-94.

A source close to the Bulls tells SheridanHoops that eating the remaining money (roughly $11 million) and years (two after this season) on Thibodeau’s contract will not be a concern to management or ownership if they decide to fire him.

The feeling among some players in the locker room is that Thibodeau is simply too hardcore, too much of an oddball personality, and runs his best players into the ground both in practices and games.

Thibs has received much praise for leading the Bulls to the playoffs the past two seasons without a healthy Derrick Rose. He owns a .650 winning percentage in nearly 5 seasons.

But there’s no denying the fact Thibodeau is very aggressive with player minutes.

I’ll never forget the Celtics game vs Atlanta in January 2010 where Thibs took over after Doc Rivers was ejected. From my game recap:

Tom Thibodeau took over for Doc with 7 minutes left in the 3rd quarter and did not make a single substitution. Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis played the rest of the game.

Thibs has come a long way since that game, but it’s becoming obvious he needs to pull back on the throttle just a bit.