CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs face off with former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff for the first time in the regular season as the Detroit Pistons head coach in their season opener on Friday.
Though Bickerstaff’s exit may have left a lingering bitterness among some fans, it’s hard to overlook his role in steering the Cavaliers to 99 wins over the last two seasons, pulling the team from the depths of a rebuild to playoff contention. But despite any rumors, the bond between Bickerstaff and his former players — especially his former anchor in the middle — hasn’t frayed. The respect they share, built through seasons of grit and grind, remains strong, underscoring the impact of his tenure beyond just the win column.
“The Cavs, I’m going to say it, they were in a dark place before he came,” Jarrett Allen stated after shootaround ahead of Friday’s clash. “They’re trying to figure out what type of team they’re going to be. What type of organization, and he came in and flipped the script.”
When Bickerstaff took over, the Cavs won 19 games in 2019-2020 in a season that he was thrust into the head coaching role after John Beilein was fired.
Under Bickerstaff’s leadership, the Cavs made steady strides over four seasons, each year building on the last. Progress was visible not only in their regular-season records but also in their postseason performances, as they climbed from the play-in tournament to a first-round appearance, and ultimately reached the second round in Bickerstaff’s final campaign. This upward trajectory cemented Bickerstaff’s impact, leaving a legacy of resilience and growth as he led the Cavs back to relevancy.
“I think we did a hell of a job here from where we started when our staff took over to where we finished in a rebuild situation,” Bickertsaff stated. “If you could ask for that to happen, every GM in this league, every owner in this league, every player in this league would sign up for it. We got better every year. Every year we went further, so we did the job we were asked to do and I’m proud of that.”
The Cavs’ preseason clash with Bickerstaff served to ease the initial awkwardness of facing their former coach on the opposing sideline.
Following his dismissal after Cleveland’s second-round exit to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics, Bickerstaff appeared on the radio to commend Luka Doncic for battling through injuries in the playoffs. His remarks were widely interpreted as a subtle critique of Jarrett Allen, who, after suffering a pierced rib in Game 4 of the first round, missed the remainder of the Cavs’ postseason run.
“Jarrett and I have a great relationship and always will, and none of the outside noise will impact that,” Bickerstaff said negating any speculation. “Those comments had absolutely nothing to do with Jarrett Allen.
“I love Jarrett Allen. We have a great relationship. … I would never say anything to slight him or question him, and I think that’s a lot of silly people that are just searching for something to be found who’ve got nothing better to do and looking for clickbait.”
Allen and Bickerstaff reconnected when the Cavs traveled to Little Caesars Arena for their first road preseason game of the year. The two embraced for a massive hug ahead of the contest, catching up on family and life beyond the game.
As Allen and Bickerstaff face off for the first time at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Allen has a clear message for Cavs fans about the welcome he hopes his former coach receives.
“I hope there’s a lot of cheers for him,” Allen said, expressing his appreciation for all Bickerstaff contributed to the team. “He brought this organization very far, so I hope the fans cheer for him.”
Although the two may still be close, Allen understands that their two worlds are separate when they step foot on the floor and the move away from Bickerstaff was made for a reason. One they hope to put on display on Friday.
“It’s a little extra umph for us to play against him,” Allen proclaimed. “I mean, the only reason you get rid of a coach is if you think you can improve. That’s the reality of the situation, so it’s like we want to show how much we can go far and how much we can improve, and I hope it’s an umph for him as well. He’s playing us. It’s a new team. Show what he got.”
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