Cavaliers respond to JB Bickerstaff job speculation
Dec 6, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J. B. Bickerstaff reacts in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ disappointing five-game elimination in the Eastern Conference first round against the New York Knicks sparked speculation that coach JB Bickerstaff’s job might not be safe. The Cavaliers pushed back on that on Friday.
Cavaliers president Koby Altman said Friday there was “no question” that Bickerstaff would return as coach despite being on the receiving end of some criticism over the Knicks series.
“Yes. Absolutely,” Altman told Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. “There’s no question about that. I mean, look what he’s accomplished. It’s actually funny, I’ve not heard that, maybe because I haven’t been reading or not on Twitter, but I’ve not heard that noise. So that’s not even a question. […] End that speculation.”
Altman added that the Cavaliers won 51 games and had the best defensive rating in the NBA, which are things that the team “can’t fluke your way into.”
Bickerstaff and the Cavaliers received some criticism for the lack of adjustments that were made during the series loss to the Knicks. At times, a young Cleveland team seemed to struggle with the physicality of the Knicks, and standout big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley were outmuscled on the boards by New York.
The Cavaliers’ quick and early exit may not cost Bickerstaff his job, but another team may make a change under similar circumstances.
