J.B. Bickerstaff was in charge of the Cleveland Cavaliers for four full seasons and the final 11 games of another one. All in all, he left Cleveland with a 170-159 (.517) regular-season record and a 6-11 (.353) playoff record.
The postseason shortcomings, lack of in-game adjustments, and stagnant offense ultimately led to his exit in 2024. Now, two years later, he's coaching the top-seeded Detroit Pistons and might face his former team in the second round.
Should that happen, Kenny Atkinson will have the ultimate opportunity to prove that the Cavs did the right thing by hiring him to replace Bickerstaff. That seemed to be the case last year before another postseason collapse.
The Cavaliers can't lose to J.B. Bickerstaff
Bickerstaff outstayed his welcome in Cleveland. The players had tuned out, and it didn't seem that they were truly bought in. The Cavs did well on defense, but they struggled so much on offense for long stretches.
Coach Atkinson changed that almost overnight. Now, with James Harden pulling the strings of the offense, they can't afford to lose to the same coach that failed to get him over the hump year in and year out.
So far, the Cavs have beaten the Pistons five out of eight times since Bickerstaff and Atkinson took over, including a split series this season. They've shown that they can hold their own against Cade Cunningham and company, but it certailny won't be easy.
Assuming they can get past the Toronto Raptors and the Pistons beat whoever they face in round one -- which they should -- it wouldn't be shocking to see that second-round matchup go to seven games.
Who is the better playoff coach?
Bickerstaff knows his former players, their tendencies, and their weaknesses, and he has more than enough resources to make life tough for them, including a dynamic playmaker like Cunningham and a physical big man like Jalen Duren.
That said, Atkinson is the superior tactician, and, unlike Bickerstaff, he's not afraid to shake things up and throw different looks at the opposing team. The Cavs are deeper than they were in the past, and they could certainly pull off the upset.
Of course, deciding whether hiring Atkinson was the right move based solely on this series might be a bit unfair and inaccurate, all things considered. Still, there's no better platform to earn your stripes than the playoffs, and taking down the guy you replaced is the ultimate victory cigar.
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