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JB Bickerstaff Takes Shot at Cavaliers Star as Finals End

Former Cleveland head coach JB Bickerstaff seemed to throw some shade at one of the Cavaliers' top players following the conclusion of the NBA Finals.

By Isaiah De Los Santos

May 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff reacts during the first quarter of game seven of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
May 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff reacts during the first quarter of game seven of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
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The 2023-24 NBA season was officially put to bed Monday night, as the Cleveland Cavaliers were forced to watch the hated Boston Celtics win another title. Now Cleveland will kick its offseason into overdrive to hopefully knock Boston off next year and return to the mountaintop.

The biggest item on the agenda right now is figuring out the team's next head coach after parting ways with JB Bickerstaff. However, even as the Cavs try to move on, it seems Bickerstaff hasn't just yet.

The departed Cleveland coach appeared on SiriusXM Tuesday to reflect on the Finals. Bickerstaff took the time to praise Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic for playing through an apparent rib injury. However, many have taken his comments as a shot at Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen.

"This is the guy that was taking shots in his ribs so that he could go out and play, right? He was playing through pain. He wasn't complaining. He was still playing 40 plus-minutes, trying to go out and get it done."

- Bickerstaff on Doncic

Of course, Allen also dealt with a rib ailment during the playoffs. However, he couldn't play through it like Doncic did, missing Cleveland's last eight postseason contests as his squad struggled to close out the Orlando Magic and then fell to the Celts in five games.

Allen's approach to his injury reportedly rubbed several in the organization the wrong way, and Bickerstaff's shade here indicates he was one of the Cavs' members unhappy with the former All-Star.

The Cavaliers, who were unimpressed by Allen's urgency to return to the court are valid in their frustrations. That's something people still on the team should be sorting out, however. Bickerstaff chiming in subtly after his firing seems like a petty move by a disgruntled ex-employee.

It's likely Bickerstaff feels he was prematurely let go, so it'd be no surprise if his comments on Cleveland continue this offseason. That should give this front office even more motivation to prove him wrong, though, and nail the hiring of his replacement.

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