J.B. Bickerstaff | Cavs at Bulls Post Game | 12.23.2023

J.B. Bickerstaff | Cavs at Bulls Post Game | 12.23.2023

Coach to come in here you guys are down four of your top scores what did it take to to win this I mean we did it together and I think that’s the you know the enjoyable part about it um being in these moments you know with your back

Against the wall so to speak um and knowing that it’s not going to be one guy that picks up the slack for everybody um and everybody who played contributed and you know to watch them celebrate one another to watch them share the game uh the way we were

Passing the ball you know um I mean it was it was great to watch and then you know to defend the way we did come out there in the third quarter hold him to 16 points right 23 points in the fourth um I mean it was a phenomenal

Performance on both ends of the floor and it was a group effort you mentioned the defense and I just want to make sure I had this I remember you guys had 16 um fast break 16 fast break points in the first half zero in the second like what

Did you guys do differently on the defensive end uh we just talked about getting back um and again it was together uh and then taking away their strengths uh d rozan uh and Kobe white were both getting to their right hand early in transition and attacking that

Pocket and I thought our guys did a great job of executing uh the game plan and shifting taking away that right hand uh and slowing him down as a unit before this game we talked about how you wanted Craig to just be aggressive but also like navigating through the being

Aggressive and you know finding your teammates how do you describe what did tonight uh I mean it’s almost you know the triple double watch um you know organizing a game creating for everybody else and then doing all the little stuff and the dirty stuff that he just has a

Knack for he just has a way to come up with the ball uh rebounds gets deflections and steals um and I mean he’s a really good scorer uh he can get to the mid-range and make shots over the top of people um got great touch around

The basket but we talked about it before he’s just so poised like you never saw him get sped up you never saw him uh be rushed you know he just got to his spot and did his thing um so I thought he did a great job tonight what did you think

About Max stru closing out he had 10 of the last 16 points for you guys yeah I mean you know that’s one of the things about you know Max that I love is his courage um you know he obviously understands the moment and you know the

Moment’s not too big for him you know he knew down the stretch um that he was going to have to be the guy to help close this thing out and um you know obviously you know missing the bodies that we are who typically have the ball in those moments I thought

He did a great job of just rising to the occasion um you know putting us on his back and helping us finish the game you talk about uh triple double watch J was also on triple double watch how important was he today especially with v

Yeah Jay was a beast um you know to go out and do what he did you know help us get extra possessions had eight offensive rebounds um you know he was Elite in the paint on both ends of the floor um you know again this

Is this is what team is all about right like you see where we are what we’re missing and you know to have the ability and the courage and the want to uh go out and dominate a game to impact because you know he wanted us to help he

Wanted to help us win um you know speaks to his character just how special of a person and a player he is ball was obviously hopping around three guys nearly in double digigit assist how important and was that for you guys and was that something you had

Planned or something just happened no we know that you know with the group that we have um you know we got to move it and we got to create for one another um and the guys took it to heart you know they they want to again do it together

And it’s been impressive to watch them play a selfless game um where it’s not a matter of who gets the shot they just give it to the right person uh and let the right person take the shot what does it say about the resiliency of your team that you were

Able to beat a really good Bulls team that’s been on a rooll like they have been I it’s you know again it’s the grit um it’s the physical and mental toughness and you know it’s it’s one of those things a group of guys that just don’t want to disappoint one another um

So they went out and you know played the game purely on both ends of the floor um but it just speaks volumes about their character um and their commitment to each other

Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke to the media following a 109-95 victory over the Chicago Bulls on December 23, 2023 at United Center.