Celtics wins, Calvs’ Coach fired.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have decided to part ways with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff following their second-round exit in the Eastern Conference playoffs at the hands of the Boston Celtics.

The decision came despite Bickerstaff guiding the team to an improved playoff performance compared to the previous season. Rumors about Bickerstaff’s job security had been circulating ever since the Cavs were defeated by the Celtics in five games.

The end of Bickerstaff’s tenure is controversial, given the circumstances surrounding Cleveland’s playoff seeding. The Cavs’ front office made a strategic decision to tank their final regular season game against the Charlotte Hornets, aiming to drop to the No. 4 seed and face the Orlando Magic in the first round. This move was widely seen as a directive from the higher-ups rather than Bickerstaff’s decision, as he played mostly reserve players in that game to ensure a loss.

While the strategy initially paid off with a first-round victory over the Magic, it arguably backfired by setting up a difficult second-round matchup against the Celtics.

Had Cleveland won that final regular season game, they would have secured the No. 3 seed, leading to a potentially easier playoff path against the Indiana Pacers in the first round and the injury-plagued New York Knicks in the second round. Instead, the Cavs faced an overwhelming Boston team, particularly after star player Donovan Mitchell suffered a calf injury in Game 3.

Bickerstaff’s dismissal appears to be partly a result of these playoff dynamics. Despite the Cavs putting up a more competitive fight against the Celtics than anticipated, the front office’s decision to tank arguably put Bickerstaff in an untenable position. Additionally, internal factors, such as player preferences, likely played a role. If Donovan Mitchell, a key figure for the franchise, favored a coaching change, his influence might have been decisive given his importance to the team and his potential leverage in extension negotiations.

Looking ahead, Cleveland faces a pivotal offseason with possible major changes to their roster. Trade rumors are swirling around players like Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen.

Meanwhile, Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson is reportedly a leading candidate to replace Bickerstaff, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

In the end, Bickerstaff’s exit underscores the often harsh realities of NBA coaching, where even a coach who maximizes his team’s potential under difficult circumstances can find himself out of a job.