J.B. Bickerstaff | Cavs vs Bucks Post Game | 1.17.2024

J.B. Bickerstaff | Cavs vs Bucks Post Game | 1.17.2024

We we talked about it pregame about Damen Lillard and Chris Middleton you guys held them to 19 points combined them to obviously Dean Wade and Isaac aoro with those main matchups how would you grade their performances uh I mean a plus I think they set the tone um I mean

Obviously we know what Dame and um Chris are capable of but I thought our guys came out um and you know were very pointed they were physical without fouling um but it was one of those things where they took individual challenges but the people around them

Were in the support positions as well um so I thought our team defense you know to start the game was Elite George Nang career high 33 points what did you see from him tonight uh I mean the ball was going in and you know I mean we know

What he’s capable of I think one of the things that we’ve seen is you know there’s more to his game than a spot shooter uh you look at the touch that he has once he’s able to get in the paint how he can use his body to create those

Shots um but you know he hard of Rhythm uh and his teammates kept finding him and he kept shooting it with confidence top um was it vital to get out to that kind of a start I mean you know that they’re a man they’re a big man down

Obviously was that kind of the goal yeah we I mean the well out of Mer we we just wanted to be great tonight um it wasn’t going to matter who was on the floor for them um you know I think that’s just something that we’re aiming to do

Obviously doesn’t happen uh all the time but I think over this stretch um we’ve been getting off the pretty good starts and holding leads so um you know I think that’s kind of our mindset is you know we know how good we can be when our defense is at its best uh and

If we come out and play our best defense to start games it’s going to give us an advantage and then it’s a matter of how we hold on Jason you guys have been on such a tear this last month playing this way we talked a week or so ago about

Jack and all that when you get everyone back and healthy have you gained anything from this that is transferable to that that you can continue to play you know what I’m saying this way into the playoffs yeah I believe we have to to be honest with you and this is you

Know Lessons Learned From playoff experience uh and where we were aiming to get to start this year the Year just started out so jumbled for us um you know I mean we had so many guys that were in and out and that were missing and this was going to be a change

Stylistically so it was going to take us a little bit of time you add uh key play you know Maxon those guys Sam George like new guys to the team and they’re trying to figure out where they fit and then we’re changing some of the things that we’ve done systematically so the

Guys who have been here are trying to figure out how they fit and then you don’t get a lot of reps of it because of the injuries but you know we want to be a movement team uh we want to be more difficult to guard we know we have Elite

One-on-one creators uh and Donovan and Darius and those guys so if it gets bogged down and Carris we can go there but like we want teams to have to chase us uh and I think again it just took a little bit of time for it all to come

Together and I don’t expect it to change obviously when Evan and Darius come back like it’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment period minutes rotations all those things that we expect but we don’t expect this to have to change um Jared Allen with his 10th consecutive double double how impressive

Is that stream I mean it’s it’s more and I know I know the numbers are what they are but it’s more than the numbers to me um what he’s doing I mean he’s dominant on both ends of the floor um and he’s dominant in a way that is needed and

Necessary um and and it’s about the team like you know he’s still doing the job in pick and roll right sometimes guys that are hunting numbers see a shot go up or a guy who’s getting ready to shoot it and they’ll just run to the rim to

Try to catch a a rebound but Jared’s doing the job that’s necessary um like we have to be great at finishing possessions he understands that so he’s going to get defensive rebounds um you know he’s touching the ball you know in different spots you see him tonight he

Made his little jump shot um but his teammates are throwing him the ball and this is the way they decided to guard him so he’s doing what it takes to win and that’s the most impressive thing about it y you guys are 113 in this stretch

Without Evan and um Darius and we’re two games out of third place and heast three games out of second place are you surprised at all that you guys are of sitting the spot where at no um again I think this is what this team is capable

Of um you know we miss uh Darius and Evan immensely you know what I mean like uh they’re going to be a huge part obviously of what we do moving forward um but you know this team historically has always banded together when its backspin against the wall and uh you

Know to a man you see guys just continue to step up uh and the way we’re playing you know this is a together uh Team you know nothing we do is based on the individual or no one is thinking about themselves um you know we talk about it

Here like one thing you can control is are you the best team on the floor and I think you see you know night in night out our guys have figured out what team looks like for this group uh and we’ve been able to be the best team on the

Florida doesn’t mean the most talented it doesn’t mean the most gifted uh but you know we have a center focus on being the best team every right and with the adversity you guys dealt with to beginning the season and it felt like just a sick Sucker Punch when you lost

EV and Darius like that are you proud of how the your guys have just responded to this adversity and didn’t let this break them apart I know you said like this is a group that always sticks together but that could have been a moment that really could have divided you guys yeah

I mean go your way yeah I mean you know at that point in time you got a decision to make right you quit or you fight um and I never expected this group of guys to quit so the fight came uh and the result have been you know what they’ve

Been last two Bob and then Chris when do you expect to add say that again sorry when do you expect to add Nance uh I’m assuming and again I got to talk to Kobe and those guys that he’ll be around as soon as possible uh I do think he may still be

In it back and forth between here and the charge um but we’ll get that plan in the morning Chris J during this six-game winning streak you guys have trailed for very little throughout these games um what has it taken what is required to sustain such a high level of basketball

For such long stretches I mean it’s a commitment to who you are um and I think again our guys have done an unbelievable job of just buying in to each other and understanding like what makes us different uh and What Makes Us good and our defense is what makes us different

And What Makes Us good um the offensive end of the floor the commitment to um you know the style that we’re playing the sharing of the ball everybody just doing what they do um to their strength like I think there’s a commitment and a buyin to it um that allows you to

Sustain you know when you waivers because you’re unsure you have doubt I think the guys believe in what we’re doing um and you know again I think it’s proven to be successful okay

Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke with the media following a 135-95 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on January 17, 2024 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.