Latest news with #JBBickerstaff
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ex-NBA Star Kendrick Perkins Sends Brutal Message to Donovan Mitchell on Playoff Struggles
Ex-NBA Star Kendrick Perkins Sends Brutal Message to Donovan Mitchell on Playoff Struggles originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cleveland Cavaliers hitched their wagon to Donovan Mitchell last season when they fired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff for him. Advertisement They hired Kenny Atkinson to replace him in hopes of convincing the former Utah Jazz star to sign an extension. He eventually re-upped with Cleveland and they clearly believed he was the guy who could lead them to the promised land. Less than a year later, the Cavs suffered another disappointing playoff exit and with such an expensive roster there aren't many additions that can be made. This means that unless the roster magically ascends to true championship contention, the only way forward is to retool or blow the team up and start over. May 9, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during game three of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Mitchell is statistically one of the best playoff performers to ever play basketball, so it's hard to blame him for his teams' shortcomings in the postseason. Advertisement However, he has put himself into unwanted company by becoming one of the longest tenured stars in NBA history to never reach the conference finals. Retired NBA star Kendrick Perkins ripped into Mitchell recently, saying, 'A Donovan Mitchell-led team has never been to the conference finals.' The six-time All-Star has reached the playoffs in every year of his playing career, but the second round is the furthest he's gotten. The past few seasons have seen the pressure ratchet up on Philadelphia 76ers' superstar Joel Embiid for not making the conference in his nine-year playing career and now Mitchell is beginning to catch the same heat. Advertisement The only superstar with a longer streak is Chris Paul who finally reached the conference finals with the Houston Rockets in 2018, 13 years into his career. Some of the criticism is unfair, but when you are as great as Mitchell is and consistently have highly seeded teams, the expectation is to win on a grand scale. Until the Cavs finally break through, Mitchell will continue to be scrutinized. Related: Cavs Give Promising Update on Donovan Mitchell's Playoff Status This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tim Hardaway Jr. takes one question after Pistons lose to Knicks in Game 4
Cade Cunningham says he's 'confident' Pistons will 'be back' at MSG after win over Knicks Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Cade Cunningham discuss the Pistons Game 5 win over the Knicks, the MSG crowd, and their confidence level in winning Game 6.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fans Call Out NBA Voters After Recent Kenny Atkinson Announcement
The NBA made a massive announcement ahead of the second-round slate of games on Monday night. Ahead of Game 1 between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, the NBA announced the 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year. Advertisement Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers was named the winner of the award over J.B. Bickerstaff of the Detroit Pistons and Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets. Of course, Atkinson led the Cavaliers to the top record in the Eastern Conference this season, but many fans are upset with the voters' decisions to vote him as the Coach of the Year. Instead, many believed that Bickerstaff of the Pistons should have won the award and they took to social media to express their frustration with the voters. 'Absolute and complete disgrace that JB Bickerstaff didn't win Coach of the Year,' one fan posted on X after Monday's announcement. 'JB Bickerstaff was robbed,' another fan wrote on X. 'Bickerstaff took a team that won 14 games a year ago and got them to the 6 seed but sure give it to the guy that inherited a team that was just in the semifinals a year ago lmao,' another fan posted on X. 'The Detroit Pistons were the first team in the history of the NBA to TRIPLE their win total from the season prior,' another fan posted on X. 'He (Bickerstaff) NO DOUBT has the best coaching performance in the NBA this season, absolute robbery.' Many other fans voiced their displeasure about the final tally for the Coach of the Year vote and they do all make a point. Advertisement Bickerstaff was fired by the Cavaliers in the offseason and was then hired to try and turn around a struggling Pistons team that finished with the NBA's worst record in each of the last two seasons. Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Osentoski-Imagn Images That is exactly what he was able to do as the Pistons finished with a 44-38 record and made the playoffs for the first time since 2018-19. While Bickerstaff did not win the award, he will always be remembered for turning Detroit's franchise around and they will now look to better their roster in the offseason.
NBC Sports
02-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
NBA futures betting 2025: Odds, expert picks, predictions including JB Bickerstaff for COY
We're nearing the end of the regular season and a few NBA awards are heating up like Coach of the Year as Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson and Detroit's JB Bickerstaff. Let's take a look at the best bet between the two with less than a dozen games remaining. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts. Coach of the Year: JB Bickerstaff (+210) Kenny Atkinson's main argument for the Coach of the Year award was boasting the NBA's best record when the Thunder or Celtics were expected to, but now that Oklahoma City owns the league's best record, what is Atkinson's argument? Best in the East? 60-plus wins? I am not sure that will be enough compared to Bickerstaff's argument. The Pistons were expected to make the play-in by some experts, but the majority of the public expected Detroit to be out of the playoffs and tanking at this point. To Bickerstaff and his players' credit, Detroit is the No. 5 seed at 42-33 (2.0 games back from No. 4) and continues to win with its best player, Cade Cunningham sidelined over the last four games (3-1 record and beat the Cavs). Since January 1st, the Pistons rank second in defensive efficiency behind the Thunder (Cavs are 14th), eighth in offensive rating (Cavs are second), the third-best defensive rebounding percentage (Cavs are 10th), top six in blocks and steals per game, third in opponent points in the paint, and are tied for the fifth-most wins (28-15 record). Granted, the Cavaliers are 31-11 since the new year, Detroit continues to impress and hang with the best of the best with grit and great defense. Cleveland had a win total of 47.5 entering the season, ranking tied for the 10th-highest, while Detroit's was 22.5, tied for the second-lowest with Washington (16-59) and Portland (33-43), only ahead of Brooklyn (21.5, 25-51) The Pistons are going to double their expected win total this season, while the rest of those teams are planning trips to Cancun. At +180 to +210, I think the value on Bickerstaff for COY was still disappearing, so I say get involved now. Pick: JB Bickerstaff to win Coach of the Year (2u) If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: - Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) - Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) - Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) - Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mark Daigneault wins West's February Coach of the Month award
The NBA announced on Monday that Mark Daigneault was named February's Western Conference Coach of the Month winner. The Oklahoma City Thunder went 11-2 during the month and increased their lead on the first seed by 10.5 games. The reigning Coach of Year winner has now won the monthly honor twice in his career. The 40-year-old has helped the Thunder go from a rebuilding situation to back-to-back first-seed champions. The Thunder have had one of the most historically dominating campaigns this year. Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff was the East's winner. Other West nominees were Chauncey Billups, Steve Kerr, Michael Malone and JJ Redick. Thunder PR on Mark Daigneault's West February Coach of the Month award: — Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 3, 2025 This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Mark Daigneault wins West's February Coach of the Month award
