BOSTON (AP) 鈥� Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff wants to come back for another season. After all, he鈥檚 already been through the hard part.
鈥淭his has been a difficult year for us, for a bunch of different reasons,鈥� Bickerstaff said after the Cavaliers of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday night.
鈥淭hey never found the time to fold on each other. All they did was find ways to compete,鈥� he said. 鈥淪omehow, we were able to find a home-court spot going into the playoffs. A lot of people can鈥檛 say that they were able to accomplish that.鈥�
Playing without All-Star Donovan Mitchell and center Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers were no match for top-seeded Boston, which advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the third year in a row and the sixth time in eight seasons.
Jayson Tatum had 25 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Al Horford added 22 points and 15 rebounds for Boston. Evan Mobley, who started at center in place of Allen, matched his season high with 33 points for the Cavaliers.
鈥淲e have to give Cleveland credit," Horford said. "They were depleted and they didn鈥檛 quit. They pushed us to the brink.鈥�
Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert also in a social media post.
鈥淐leveland, it鈥檚 heartbreaking, but I am proud of the fight and the progress of this team. Thanks to all fans and supporters who were there all season for us. The future is bright in The Land!.鈥�
Now, the Cavaliers head into an offseason that could build on what they've accomplished 鈥� or involve a more extensive overhaul.
鈥淓verything went wrong that could have went wrong,鈥� said Cavs big man Marcus Morris Sr., who scored 25 points in over 33 minutes 鈥� both season highs and his most in a playoff game since 2021. 鈥淭he last two games, we fought. Obviously, they鈥檝e got great players over there, that put them in this position.鈥�
After getting blown out in the first round by the Knicks last postseason and a slow start to this year 鈥� the Cavs were 18-15 on New Year鈥檚 Day 鈥� Bickerstaff had to contend with questions about his job security. But Cleveland went on a streak of 17 wins in 18 games, and then earned a No. 4 seed in the playoffs.
A seven-game victory over the Orlando Magic was the Cavs鈥� first postseason series win since LeBron James left 鈥� the second time 鈥� in 2018.
鈥淚 considered this season an improvement. To win a round in the playoffs isn鈥檛 easy,鈥� Bickerstaff said. 鈥淓very single year, we鈥檝e continued to improve: play-in, playoffs, win a round. 鈥� This is definitely a place I want to be.鈥�
Asked if he expected to be back next year, Bickerstaff said: 鈥淣o one鈥檚 told me I鈥檓 not. So I鈥檒l keep showing up until they tell me not to.鈥�
Bickerstaff isn鈥檛 the only big question for the Cavs.
Mitchell, who averaged just under 30 points in Cleveland鈥檚 first 10 playoff games this year, missed the last two with a strained left calf. He is eligible to sign a contract extension this summer, but has not indicated whether he will.
Mitchell was at the game in street clothes on Wednesday night but did not speak to reporters. Allen missed the final eight games, and Caris LeVert 鈥� a star in Game 2, the Cavs' only win, with 21 points 鈥� was also unavailable on Wednesday night.
鈥淚 would love to see what we look like when we鈥檙e whole for an entire season, what pressure we can put on the league from that standpoint,鈥� Bickerstaff said.
鈥淵ou would love to be that way. The teams that typically are healthy are the teams that end up having the most success, especially in the postseason. So you think about it, obviously, but, you know, I can鈥檛 take away from what guys that were able to go did.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Jimmy Golen, The Associated Press
