Cavaliers fire coach J.B. Bickerstaff after consecutive playoff runs over five years in Cleveland

The Cavaliers lost their second-round series to the Celtics

The Cleveland Cavaliers fired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Thursday, the team announced. Bickerstaff had a 170-159 regular-season record as Cleveland's head coach across parts of five seasons. The Cavaliers reached the playoffs in the last two of those seasons, but even as they competed for a top seed in the Eastern Conference this season, there was reportedly tension underneath the surface.

"J.B. is a well-respected NBA coach and an incredible human being," Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman said in a statement. "Over the past four years, he helped establish a culture that progressively drove players to become the best versions of themselves. Decisions like these are never easy, particularly when you look back at where this franchise rebuild started under his leadership."

Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and Pelicans associate James Borrego are expected to be among the candidates for the job, according to Shams Charania of the Athletic.