John-Blair Bickerstaff: Currently The 6th Longest Tenured Head Coach

[ice cream man]

Playing zone encourages the exact opposite of everything a NBA defense should be. “Make them feel you” is impossible. A couple quick passes and the offense has a wide open shot, every time.

 

[Cavatt]

Playing zone encourages the exact opposite of everything a NBA defense should be. “Make them feel you” is impossible. A couple quick passes and the offense has a wide open shot, every time.

Looks bad sometimes with the open 3s but 105 points? I mean that is very winnable if you have an offense. Our offense is broken because only the guys we brought in to play d are left.

 

[Muffinalt]

Looks bad sometimes with the open 3s but 105 points? I mean that is very winnable if you have an offense. Our offense is broken because only the guys we brought in to play d are left.

Haha yeah that's really true. If we can keep the same d when the more offensive inclined guys come in, we should be fine.

Well, we should be better...

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

This guy is doing a very good job considering the trauma ward with which he has to field a team.

 

[Prime 1978]

I don’t know if the Drummond, McGee, Nance, Okoro, Osman lineup was a stroke of genius or if he momentarily had a stroke. Nonetheless it actually prevented the game from getting away in the first half. The Cavs fell down by 8, that lineup came in and immediately erased the deficit.

 

[J_J]

Despite 8 different starting lineups in 9 games, we are 5-4. If you told me that before the season I would not believe our record is today. JB has done really well and controlling the team. The players really try hard and is fun to watch them play with effort. As Prime mentioned, I thought it was spectacular to use Dre, McG, Nance, Okoro, and Cedi and really changed the momentum. If our team was healthy, I really would like to see how JB and the staff can develop this team.

 

[ansatsusha80]

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

JB deserves a shit-ton of credit for his game plan in this win tonight, and then knowing when to sit Drummond, and when to let Sexton run free.

Really happy with him so far.

 

[MirORich]

JB deserves a shit-ton of credit for his game plan in this win tonight, and then knowing when to sit Drummond, and when to let Sexton run free.

Really happy with him so far.

Even going back to last year, the moment he took over, everything about the way this team played, hustled, and rallied around each other changed. He’s still only been head coach for about 24 games.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Even going back to last year, the moment he took over, everything about the way this team played, hustled, and rallied around each other changed. He’s still only been head coach for about 24 games.

How was it possible for him to have changed completely the defensive mindset of this team, so quickly?

Must be one hell of an effective communicator.

 

[MirORich]

How was it possible for him to have changed completely the defensive mindset of this team, so quickly?

Must be one hell of an effective communicator.

I think he was running the defense last year under Beilein but once he took over the effort, buy in, and tweaks to the lineup made a difference.

Then this year so far the collection of lots of rim protection and the addition of Okoro added to the mix.

But, without being an x’s and o’s guy, I think that effort, buy in, and team cohesion are the biggest core building blocks to at least playing competent defense, given that even the worst NBA athletes are still prettty good athletes compared to the rest of the world.

 

[ansatsusha80]

 

[BigZ94]

JB deserves a shit-ton of credit for his game plan in this win tonight, and then knowing when to sit Drummond, and when to let Sexton run free.

Really happy with him so far.

Having the balls to bench Drummond the rest of the 4th and all of OT is a coach of the Year level move imo

 

[Lee]

Having the balls to bench Drummond the rest of the 4th and all of OT is a coach of the Year level move imo

This team wont be good enough to get JBB coach of the year although he should be considered for sure. It almost always goes to a top 4 team's coach.

 

[Muffinalt]

This team wont be good enough to get JBB coach of the year although he should be considered for sure. It almost always goes to a top 4 team's coach.

He should absolutely should be right?

Leading a young team to more wins - check. Creating an identity and infectious culture - check. Literally taking the team from last to first on defense - check (Koby deserves credit here too, and ofc the all the guys themselves). Effective adjustments, good handling of minutes. It's the complete package. Plus he's dealing with a huge number of injuries and not much continuity yet this season, yet the effort is the same.

To think how disappointed I was when he was appointed after Beilein... It's like he was actually the perfect man for this job. Huge kudos. Don't think there is a single person who isn't a fan now.

My favorite thing though from it all is the creativity with lineups. 3 bigs, 2 centers, no point guards. Just a bunch of fun, unusual but working(!) lineups.