Kenny Atkinson or J.B. Bickerstaff? Whoever loses Cavs-Pistons series faces a long summer

DETROIT — He didn’t want to talk about it before the game and it’s easy to see why. There’s no reason to reveal strategy or give the enemy any motivation at this point. But make no mistake: This series means more to Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff than he’s willing to concede.The Cavs very clearly believed Bickerstaff was the problem when they fired him two years ago, following a second-round postseason exit, and returned the rest of the roster intact. It’s no secret that Bickerstaff lost the locker room in Cleveland. The players wanted him gone. Yet when he was asked before the game if this series meant more to him, given how everything ended in Cleveland, he offered only, “No. No, we don’t do that here.”Advertisement