5 worn out misconceptions Cleveland Cavaliers have proven wrong this season

Misconception No. 1 - "J.B. Bickerstaff cannot run a good offense"

When Evan Mobley and Darius Garland were sidelined with lengthy injuries in December, the Cavaliers were forced to reinvent their entire offensive approach in the middle of a rocky start to the season. With a 13-12 record at the time of the injury announcements, the Cavs rallied and catapulted second seed in the conference by the time Mobley and Garland returned.

Donovan Mitchell took leadership for the squad and made his teammates better with every possession. He flashed incredible playmaking and found tremendous chemistry along the way with Jarrett Allen. While Mitchell's efforts set the tone for the Cavs, none of their mid-season success would have happened if not for the drastic changes to the offense Bickerstaff made in a moment's notice.

Throughout January, the Cavs had the fourth most three-pointers attempted per game (40) and offensive rating (121.3). Cleveland also had the league's second best defensive rating (106.1) in that span. Bickerstaff integrated a fast-paced gameplan with endless off-ball movement to open up chances for movement shooters. His efforts created an entirely new look for the Cavs and unlocked Sam Merrill who became one of the best shooters in the Association this year.

Last season and postseason, the Cavs employed a highly predictable and stagnant offense. If a high pick-and-roll did not immediately provide an easy shot, the Cavaliers often looked confused and lost. They would rinse and repeat the high PnR system until either they scored or jacked up a contested shot at the end of the shot clock. In Bickerstaff's new system, Cleveland confidently found playmaking from everybody on the court, giving Allen the ball at the elbow to facilitate. Max Strus found his opportunities in dribble hand-offs followed by a timely bounce pass into the paint for the screener.

Despite his shortcomings last year, Bickerstaff has overcome every negative narrative in his offensive mindset. He has made confusing rotation choices this year still, but the Cavs would be far below where they sit now without Bickerstaff's coaching and leadership.