JB Bickerstaff had a phenomenal first season as Pistons head coach and transformed the team culture. With a focus on defense and toughness, he took the Pistons from 14 to 44 wins and finished second in Coach of the Year voting. Bickerstaff was in a position last season where his strengths were able to shine greater than ever before, but his weaknesses in the playoffs could be exposed next year as the Pistons have higher postseason expectations.
Bickerstaff has always been a good regular season coach, especially in rebuilding situations. In Cleveland, he was able to double his team’s win total from 22 to 44 between 2020-21 and 2021-22. And, no surprise to Pistons fans, the majority of the improvement came on the defensive end. Between those two seasons, the team went from the 25th best ranked defense in the league to the seventh best.
Last year’s Pistons were a similar story, shooting up to 11th in league defensive rating after finishing a paltry 26th the season prior. Bickerstaff is a mastermind at implementing defensive schemes that play to his team’s strengths while hiding weaker defenders. He’s also a great motivator who gets phenomenal effort out of his players, especially younger guys.
Bickerstaff's Playoff Track Record
But there’s a reason he was eventually fired by the Cavaliers: his playoff track record. During his time in Cleveland, Bickerstaff led his team to the playoffs twice and they had disappointing performances both times.
In 2023, the Cavaliers lost 4-1 in the first round against the Knicks in a matchup where the Cavs actually had home-court advantage. Cavaliers players infamously admitted that they weren’t ready for the big stage of the playoffs and fans were shocked at how little fight they put up against an arguably less talented team.
In 2024, the Cavs once again disappointed in the playoffs. They started with a 4-3 victory over the Orlando Magic in the first round, barely surviving against a team led by 21 year-old Paolo Banchero. Many fans had hoped that series would be easy for the more talented Cavs but they struggled to score against the Magic defense. In the second round, they flamed out 4-1 against the eventual champion Celtics in a very non-competitive series.
The Pistons put up a good fight in their return to the playoffs last year but ultimately fell short against the Knicks. After a historic turnaround, the Pistons were just happy to be there and glad to give the Knicks a run for their money.
But next season will not be the same. Many projections have the Pistons as a top 4 seed in the East and that will come with an expectation to win at least one playoff series. Given how close the East is after the top two teams, it’s likely that JB Bickerstaff’s ability to make in-game and in-series coaching adjustments can decide a close series. He’ll have the chance to quiet his doubters with the Pistons’ playoff hopes hanging in the balance.