J.B. Bickerstaff | Cavs vs Bulls Post Game | 2.14.2024

J.B. Bickerstaff | Cavs vs Bulls Post Game | 2.14.2024

Spencer Davies C cider uh that was a back and forth one um how do you feel like your guys ended up answering that Bell in the second half clearly different defensive effort and and you guys got things going offensively yeah I think that’s what it came down to um you

Know you go back and just you as we talking about as coaches like we played well uh in the first half we just didn’t make a shot you know we had I think our 10 first 10 baskets were assisted baskets um we were moving the ball we

Were creating for one another shots just weren’t falling uh you know the second quarter we held them to 17 points so we did what we do defensively um but just as the game progressed we started making some shots um get paid off and that’s you know one of the things that um you

Know this group is is like they believe in what they’re doing so no one felt like they had to change and do something working because do something different because shots weren’t going so they just continued to play the right way continued to create for one another um

And then you know score 37 points in a fourth quarter to wion a game you needed it as a team but as a coach how nice is it to see DG come up with the big plays he did in the the last minute he had the three at the buzzer and then he

Obviously made a huge play on on Kobe to force the turnover yeah I mean that’s what you know the the games you know the the deeper we get uh the tighter they are um you know your Playmakers your stars are going to have to be stars um

And you know being able to have a guy like darus uh in the fourth quarter who can create his own shot and make tough shots um again it just makes defenses have to make tough decisions now their matchups uh are different who they’re going to guard where they’re going to

Play the pick and role all those things because there’s multiple guys out there that can um that can beat him and make those plays so uh it’s great to have him back and you know finally be able to get him in a closing lineup also Dar uh JB

What can you say about the defensive effort you got from Isaac tonight obviously he was big on the offensive end but just you know having him go against the Ros yeah Isaac was awesome I mean it’s you know I I again I I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what he

Does every single day because he doesn’t change um you know no matter the circumstances no matter what’s in front of him he’s the same person every single day he’s the same competitor every single day uh he’s an unbelievable teammate that’s willing to do whatever the team asks him to do on any single

Given night um he works his tail off every single day like you see the impact that it’s had on his game uh and he’s just continued to take steps regardless of what people say about him uh you know they want to talk about his limitations

Like he finds what it is and he works his tail off on it and he continues to get better and better so um Isaac was awesome and again it’s you get kind of accustomed to it but you know as you think about it like he’s very special uh

And means so much to our team Evan hadit another three for you tonight you know that’s been a point of emphasis but he also uh you know made some shots off movement just you know if he’s able to really H in and refine that those aspects of his game what kind of a

Weapon is he going to be uh I me I think he’s he’s going to be you know what we all expect him to be you know but what I want to make sure that you know with Evan is like he’s not just onedimensional and so many of us want to

Highlight scoring scoring scoring scoring scoring that’s not Evan Mobley Evan Moy is a complete basketball player um he makes the right play like you know I’ve said this before he could be the most impactful player on the floor and score six points um that’s how good Evan

Mobley is and I think that’s what we need to focus on uh and appreciate you know that um you know the shot making all that stuff don’t get me wrong it’s part of his game um but he can dominate games in so many different ways and

That’s the player that we want him to be last one Jason what are you most surprised by in this like big picture first half is there anything that stands out to you what you most surprised or pleased by most pleased is just like how this group

Has come together um you know it’s again starting in training camp and the beginning of the season and you know all that stuff you know it was bumpy um but um you know throw the injuries in and you know later in the season but but

Guys never found a way to jump off the boat um you know regardless of what was happening on the outside and what was being said You know guys showed up every single day committed to working and figured it out um you know figured out you know what Cavs Hoops is and how we

Play it and how we’re different than other places um and they just continue to buy into each other and just watching them you know Embrace each other’s successes like tonight it was a different lineup to finish the game right but they were cheering Isaac on

When he was in um you know so it’s going to be your night but when it’s not they keep pulling for one another so all those things are you know what I’m most pleased with um and I’m excited about the future with this group this is probably more of a prev question sorry

The combo of Donovan and Max the twom man numbers are unbelievable why do you think those two together are so successful uh I mean just teams have they got tough choices to make you know Max plays at such a speed um that when the Defenders are coming together at

That speed you got to make a decision uh and then you’re making a decision on what you’re going to do when Donovan Mitchell has the ball in his hands typically right so you’re damned if you do you’re damned if you don’t you know teams don’t want to switch it because

They like the matchups that they have but at that force and that speed you know you can’t get in a position to put two on the ball or try to contain the ball because Max is flying out of there he’s going to be wide open or Donovan is

Going to have angles to drive to the basket so I think it’s the pace and the skill set of the two guys that are involved in it yeah I’m sorry JB there’s one more for Bob is uh minute restrictions over now for Evan and there is uh we’ll always monitor it and I’ll

Talk to our um you know um training staff about it um and our front office group as well it’s something you know I mean like darius’s situation is just a little bit different because it wasn’t a you know lower limb or injury um but we’ll always monitor with Evan what it

Is and uh try not to run him into the ground okay thanks everybody thank you have a good night

Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke to the media following a 108-105 win over the Chicago Bulls on February 14, 2024 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.