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    • ‘Trendsetter’ JB Bickerstaff returns to Cleveland with Pistons
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    ‘Trendsetter’ JB Bickerstaff returns to Cleveland with Pistons

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    Detroit When JB Bickerstaff called a timeout on a tough night in Detroit, Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen couldn’t help but chuckle at his former coach. The Pistons were on the verge of giving up a 23-7 run to end the first quarter, and shortly after calling the timeout, Bickerstaff had a few words for the officials.

    Allen’s smile had no malicious intent, but watching his former coach go after a referee during a preseason game brought back fond memories of the four seasons they spent together in Cleveland. On Friday night, Allen will likely encounter more moments that remind him of Bickerstaff as the Cavaliers welcome the Pistons to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

    The game will serve as the Cavaliers’ home opener for the 2024-2025 season, which also corresponds with Bickerstaff’s return to Cleveland following his dismissal in May.

    “He took over this team when we didn’t have the best players, I wouldn’t say, but we weren’t the same team as when he left,” Allen said after the Pistons’ 108-92 preseason victory over the Cavaliers week. “He definitely came in and changed the system. He definitely took us to a higher place than where we started.”

    The Cavaliers promoted Bickerstaff to coach in January 2020 following the untimely departure of John Beilein. When Bickerstaff took over, the Cavaliers were in a similar position to the Pistons. They were an ailing franchise that had won a total of 33 games after LeBron James left the organization two years earlier.

    Bickerstaff led Cleveland to its most successful era without James, including the Cavaliers winning 44 or more games in three consecutive seasons and back-to-back postseason appearances. Last year, the Cavaliers advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals after a 48-34 regular season. However, their season ended in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Celtics.

    “I feel good about what we did,” Bickerstaff said. “If you said this is what rebuilding would look like, and to get to where we are today, I think everyone would have signed up for that. We helped turn that organization around and make it relevant again and show the respect that it has. has been in the league at the competitive level for so long, I’m proud of the work we’ve done in Cleveland.”

    Bickerstaff developed a handful of young players who found their way in the league. Before being traded from the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021, Allen had already shown the potential to be an elite defender, but he credits Bickerstaff’s teachings for helping his defensive game reach an All-Star level. One of the lessons he shared with Allen was how to use his 6-foot-4 frame to his advantage. A year later, Allen received an All-Star selection.

    Darius Garland, who has worked alongside Bickerstaff throughout his career, said earning his former coach’s trust has led to his growth as a young guard. Bickerstaff gave him complete control of the Cavaliers’ offense during the 2020-2021 season. The following year, Garland joined Allen as a first-time All-Star in Atlanta.

    “He created the culture for us. We turned it around and started winning when he became head coach,” Garland told The Detroit News. “His energy, focus in practice, attention to detail, I think the young guys are just attracted to him. I think JB will be good for them (Pistons).

    “He’s a trendsetter, especially playing two bigs and two 7-footers, which is completely different in the league now. It’s good to see a black head coach doing things like that for the league. I’m proud of him. That’s my boy.”

    Bickerstaff isn’t bitter toward the Cavaliers and their decision to fire him. He quickly got over his time in Cleveland and has been fully committed to helping the Pistons bounce back from a disappointing 115-109 season loss to the Indiana Pacers.

    Bickerstaff doesn’t care about the reception he receives at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. In his return to Cleveland, Bickerstaff will remain committed to his three main goals: compete, grow and win.

    “Once you’re between those lines as a competitor, none of that matters anymore,” Bickerstaff said. “You go out there to get a job done, and it doesn’t really matter who’s in front of you. You just want to get that job done.”

    Historic moment

    LeBron and Bronny James made NBA history on Tuesday night during the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener over the Minnesota Timberwolves. They became the first father-son duo to play in the NBA, a historic milestone that Bickerstaff said was “amazing.”

    “It’s an honor for him as a father (LeBron) to be able to put his son in a position where he developed his skills to play in the NBA,” Bickerstaff said. “All I hear about him (Bronny) is how great a kid he is, the quality of a person he is. It’s so rare that people have to celebrate how special it is.”

    Bickerstaff is a second-generation coach who worked with his father, Bernie, as an assistant coach in Charlotte from 2004 to 2007. He has maintained his father’s teachings throughout his coaching career.

    “I was extremely fortunate to work with my father,” Bickerstaff said. “How honest he was and how much respect he showed people, and how that changed relationships. That’s one of the reasons why this job is so special.”

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    Pistons at Cavaliers

    ▶ Tip: 7:30 PM Friday, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland

    ▶ TV/radio: FDSND/97.1

    ▶ Outlook: This is the home opener for the Cavaliers and marks the return of J.B. Bickerstaff to Cleveland, where he served as head coach for more than four seasons after being fired in May. The Cavaliers won their season opener in Toronto 136-106 on Wednesday.

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