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'No bad blood': Jarrett Allen all class amid Cavs' reunion with J.B. Bickerstaff | Ulrich
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- 'No bad blood': Jarrett Allen all class amid Cavs' reunion with J.B. Bickerstaff | Ulrich
CLEVELAND — Jarrett Allen is all class.
Despite Allen believing J.B. Bickerstaff publicly took a subtle shot at his toughness in June — something Bickerstaff denies — the Cavaliers starting center expressed a desire for Cleveland fans to give his former head coach a warm reception Friday night in the regular-season home opener at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse .
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"I hope there's a lot of cheers for him," Allen said Friday morning after shootaround at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence. "The Cavs, I'm going to say it, they were in a dark place before he came. They were 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. We won 51 wins, 49 wins with him. He brought this organization very far, so I hope the fans cheer for him."
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) talks with coach J. B. Bickerstaff in a game against the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 31, 2022, in Chicago, Illinois.
First of all, Allen is right about Bickerstaff's contributions. Bickerstaff led the Cavs out of the abyss and helped them become a relevant NBA franchise again during Life After LeBron James, The Sequel .
Fans should have a healthy level appreciation for Bickerstaff. He ascended from an assistant to the helm of the Cavs during a 2019-20 season in which John Beilein's disastrous tenure as head coach ended with a resignation. The Cavs went 19-46 in 2019-20. With Bickerstaff in charge the next four full seasons, the Cavs made significant progress.
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Of course, Cavs brass concluded in May the team had reached its ceiling with Bickerstaff and fired him coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, headlined by a first-round exit versus the New York Knicks in 2023 and an elimination from the Eastern Conference semifinals against the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics this past spring.
Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff reacts during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday in Cleveland.
The Cavs (2-0) hired coach Kenny Atkinson in June. The Detroit Pistons (0-2) hired Bickerstaff six days later.
The two teams met Friday night, with the Cavs triumphing 113-101 . They also faced each other Oct. 16 in a preseason game in Detroit.
During pregame introductions Friday, Bickerstaff received a mixture of cheers and boos. But, later, during a tribute video played in the arena in the opening quarter, Bickerstaff was mostly cheered. Considering the Cleveland crowd booed Bickerstaff at times when he was Cavs coach, the latest reaction to him should be considered positive overall.
Bickerstaff and the Cavs have been through a lot together. Which brings us back to the Allen-Bickerstaff dynamic.
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Allen suffered a fractured rib in late April during Round 1 of the playoffs against the Orlando Magic and missed the Cavs' final eight postseason games, including the entire Eastern Conference semifinals against the Celtics.
During a guest appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio in June, Bickerstaff praised Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic for "taking shots in his ribs, so that he could go out and play" in the NBA Finals. Bickerstaff added Doncic "was playing through pain, he wasn't complaining, he was still playing 40-plus minutes trying to go out and get it done."
The comments were perceived by some fans and media members as Bickerstaff criticizing Allen in a roundabout way. The remarks also came after former Cavs forward Marcus Morris Sr., a longtime Bickerstaff favorite, said in May on the FanDuel NBA show "Run it Back" he would have played through the same injury Allen had.
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For what it's worth, Allen explained he thinks Bickerstaff intended to criticize him by lauding Doncic.
"Perception is everything," Allen said. "I know J.B. I know how he thinks. It probably was [a shot at me]. But everybody's frustrated. Everybody thinks one thing could have made them go further [in the playoffs]. I don't think it dampens relationships too much."
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Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen poses for a photo during media day, Sept. 30, 2024, in Cleveland.
Meanwhile, Bickerstaff insisted before tipoff Friday his commentary on Doncic was unrelated to Allen.
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"Jarrett and I have a great relationship and always will, and none of the outside noise will impact that," Bickerstaff said during his pregame media availability at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. "Those comments had absolutely nothing to do with Jarrett Allen . If you want to ask me a question about Jarrett Allen, I'll tell you. I'm not one of those guys that's going to beat around the bush or give you vague responses. I've never been that way.
"If I have a problem with a person or a player, ask me directly, and I'll tell you. I love Jarrett Allen. We have a great relationship. I saw him last week [in the preseason]. We had a huge hug and a huge embrace, and 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, 26, said he has never talked to Bickerstaff, 45, about the topic.
"No, I'm not a big texter, but when I saw him in Detroit [last week during the preseason], I gave him a big hug and I asked him how the family is going," Allen said. "It was no bad blood."
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More on Jarrett Allen's rib injury: Cleveland Cavs center reveals there's a 'piece of bone that's still floating in my body'
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) drives to the basket past San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) on Jan. 7 in Cleveland.
Allen is a unique personality in professional sports. And, yes, he meets the definition of unique because he's one of a kind. Nothing about him comes across as phony, either. And regardless of what Bickerstaff meant or didn't mean during his radio appearance, Allen interpreted it a certain way, yet extended grace to his former coach.
Again, Allen is the epitome of class.
Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff reacts to a play against Indiana Pacers during the first half of the season opener in Detroit on Wednesday.
Now, were Allen and the Cavs fired up to face the Pistons and a familiar face who's coaching them? As competitors, they should have been.
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"It's a little extra oomph for us to play against [Bickerstaff]," Allen said. "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 oomph for him as well. He's playing us. It's a new team. Show what you got."
The point is clear, but one game is one game.
Whether the 2024-25 Cavs are better off without Bickerstaff will be determined by how far they advance in the playoffs under Atkinson.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nurlich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs' Jarrett Allen says he has 'no bad blood' with J.B. Bickerstaff
