Cleveland Cavaliers get Greg Buckner first NBA head-coaching win in J.B. Bickerstaff’s absence, avenge loss to Chicago Bulls 121-105
Updated 11:00 PM;
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was quite a head-coaching debut for Greg Buckner.
Filling in for J.B. Bickerstaff, who wasn’t on the bench because of personal reasons, Buckner guided the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 121-105 win, avenging this weekend’s stinging loss to the Chicago Bulls, taking the season series between the two teams jockeying for Eastern Conference Play-In position, snapping a three-game losing streak and giving Buckner his first official win.
Buckner, a basketball lifer and former player who Bickerstaff brought to the organization this past offseason, said he wasn’t nervous before the game. He didn’t approach Wednesday as an audition. It’s Bickerstaff’s team. Buckner said as much. Described as laid back, he also wasn’t trying to add any more pressure to a game the Cavs desperately wanted, especially coming off their no-show in Detroit two nights earlier that led to maturity questions. The stakes were high enough.