Two important characters of the Tom Thibodeau era expressed appreciation for their former coach ahead of their returns to MSG, with one – Julius Randle – saying he wasn’t surprised by the firing and the other – Donte DiVincenzo – being more shocked because of New York’s playoff success.

“At the end of the day, business is business and they got a helluva coach in Mike Brown as well,” DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves guard who is facing the Knicks in Thursday’s preseason contest, said in an interview with The Post. “But I was surprised. They got to the Eastern Conference finals.”

DiVincenzo, a longtime outspoken supporter of Thibs, added that the minutes distribution controversy – the third rail topic surrounding Thibodeau – was related to his desire to win and often embraced by players. According to sources, there was a general fatigue over Thibodeau’s one-voice coaching and communication style, with staffers and players desiring more input. 

“Everybody has their philosophy, and every player wants to play. The thing about Thibs is he was trying to win every game,” DiVincenzo said. “If you look down the list, guys have had career years under Thibs. You could say whatever the reason is, but the facts are guys had career years and guys liked playing for him.”