J.B. Bickerstaff returned to Cleveland Friday as the head coach of the Pistons to face Jarrett Allen and the Cavs.
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.
When Bickerstaff took over, the Cavs won 19 games in 2019-20 in a season that he was thrust into the head coaching role after John Beilein was fired. The Cavs’ preseason clash with Bickerstaff served to ease the initial awkwardness of facing their former coach on the opposing sideline. “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.”
“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.”
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