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Cavs rediscover elements of J.B. Bickerstaff era they can't afford to forsake | Ulrich
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- Cavs rediscover elements of J.B. Bickerstaff era they can't afford to forsake | Ulrich
CLEVELAND — Don't forget about J.B. Bickerstaff .
The ex-Cavaliers coach has his fingerprints all over Cleveland's foundation .
The Eastern Conference-leading Cavs (37-9) need to remember the fact, even if some players in Cleveland's locker room are in denial about it.
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Bickerstaff isn't a perfect coach. His Cavs successor, Kenny Atkinson , has shown he is a major upgrade as an offensive tactician. Cleveland relied too heavily on pick-and-roll and became stagnant on offense far too often under Bickerstaff.
Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff argues a call with referee Kevin Scott (24) during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 27, 2025, in Cleveland.
Yet, Bickerstaff is an expert at building a winning culture and establishing an imposing defensive identity. He dragged the Cavs out of the basketball abyss, and now he's doing the same at the helm of the Detroit Pistons (23-23) after they finished last season with the worst record (14-68) in the NBA.
The Cavs wouldn't be where they are without Bickerstaff's contributions the past four-plus seasons, and they cannot afford to lose sight of the importance of committing to defense the way he demands. Atkinson is wise enough to realize this, and he has preached it as much as anyone.
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When the Cavs snapped a three-game losing streak Monday with a 110 - 91 win over Bickerstaff's Pistons , defense became Cleveland's calling card again. Well, at least for a night. A road and home back-to-back with the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks awaits Wednesday and Thursday. Against the Cavs this season, the Heat are 1-0 and the Hawks are 2-0.
The Atkinson-led Cavs have repeatedly experienced stretches of defensive trouble. Offense reigns supreme in the modern-day NBA, though recent history suggests a successful championship quest requires adequate balance.
The Cavs are tied for 10th among the NBA's 30 teams in defensive rating (111.8) this season. But in January, the Cavs have had one the league's worst defenses. They entered their most recent reunion with Bickerstaff tied for 27th in defensive rating (118.9) this month. The regression is reminiscent of a period Cleveland overcame in November.
Cleveland's top three perimeter defenders, guard Caris LeVert and forwards Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro , have been sidelined by injuries as of late. LeVert (right wrist sprain) has missed the past five games, Wade (right knee sprain) the past two and Okoro (AC joint sprain in right shoulder) the past six. Atkinson said he thinks LeVert's status is day to day, but the coach added Wade's timetable for a return is longer than day to day. The translation is weeks.
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Those setbacks don't tell the entire story about Cavs defensive lapses, though. Atkinson has lamented his players allowing too much offensive production in the paint and at the rim.
"[LeVert, Wade and Okoro] are three of our best defenders, so when they're all out, it's going to make the game tougher, but it's not an excuse for us to start giving up 130 [points]," said Cavs guard Ty Jerome , who scored 15 points off the bench against the Pistons. "So, yes, they are out, and they're going to help us tremendously when they get back on both sides of the ball. But we have enough to defend no matter who's playing, no matter who's not playing. It's a focus thing and an effort thing."
Defensive energy resurfaced in time for the Cavs to halt their longest skid this season and prevail by 19 points despite shooting just 27.3% on 3-pointers (12 of 44). The Pistons went 37-of-95 shooting (38.9%) from the field (10 of 35 on 3-pointers, 28.6%). Pistons All-Star hopeful Cade Cunningham tied a game high with 22 points, but the guard whom Detroit drafted first overall in 2021 took 26 shots from the floor. Cavs guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell had 22 and 21 points on 19 and 12 field-goal attempts, respectively.
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Cavs small forward Max Strus accepted Atkinson's challenge to guard Cunningham, who went 9-of-26 shooting from the field (0 for 4 on 3s). Cleveland outscored Detroit by 20 points with Strus on the court. With Wade and Okoro idle, Strus is a clear-cut starter.
"We made a statement defensively," said Strus, who tallied 10 points and eight rebounds. "When things don't go well, this group kind of takes things personal and has the resiliency to bounce back. I'm proud of the way we responded in our effort tonight on [the defensive] end of the floor."
The Pistons' 91 points was the second-lowest total allowed by the Cavs this season. Cleveland has held an opponent to fewer than 100 points five times.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) shoots over the defense of Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) on Jan. 27, 2025, in Cleveland.
Maintaining a formidable defense has been a challenge exacerbated by the Cavs possessing the best offensive rating (121.1) in the league.
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"It's human nature," said Cavs center Jarrett Allen , who scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. "When something is going good for you, there's slippage in another area. Our offense is one of the best in the league, and I feel like our defense has taken the slippage just knowing that we can get it back on the offensive end."
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Under Bickerstaff last season, the Cavs, with a virtually identical roster to the 2024-25 version, finished seventh in defensive rating (112.1) but 16th in offensive rating (114.7). They went 48-34 for the East's fourth seed, defeated the Orlando Magic in seven games during the first round of the playoffs and lost in five games to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Cavs fired Bickerstaff in May and hired Atkinson as his replacement in June. The business of professional sports can be awkward, yet Bickerstaff and Atkinson have found the right tone while competing.
Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson reacts against the Houston Rockets on Jan. 25, 2025, in Cleveland.
Atkinson credits the standard Bickerstaff set in Cleveland with playing "a big part" in how Atkinson's Cavs tenure has started.
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"I take pride in the job that we did here," Bickerstaff said. "The staff did a lot, sacrificed a lot, put a lot of time in, helped players become better players, helped the team understand what it took to win.
"I have great relationships with guys over in [Cleveland's] locker room. I have no hate towards them. I'm happy for them. We try to embrace people's successes."
Going from good with Bickerstaff to great with Atkinson is a mission the Cavs can only truly complete in the playoffs.
Until then, they need to continue to run with Atkinson's winning formula without forsaking the defensive dedication his predecessor instilled.
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Don't forget about J.B. Bickerstaff.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs can't lose sight of defensive identity J.B. Bickerstaff forged
