The 76ers confirmed that Boston Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau interviewed with the team Thursday.
Thibodeau, who just finished his second season as a Celtics assistant, isn’t as well known as the team’s other interview candidates. Eddie Jordan and Dwane Casey have been head coaches and Kurt Rambis was a player in the NBA.
But Thibodeau, who has been an NBA assistant for 18 years, is well known as a defensive specialist and his teams have ranked in the NBA’s top 10 in defense 15 times, most recently this season in Boston.
In 2007-2008, his first in Boston, the Celtics were the best team in the league in points allowed, field-goal percentage allowed and 3-point field-goal percentage allowed. They finished in the top five in all three categories again this season.