CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a previous story.
To this point in the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have unquestionably been the NBA's most surprising team. And it appears the rest of the league is beginning to take notice.
On Wednesday, the NBA announced that Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for the month of January. The 42-year-old Bickerstaff earned the honor after Cleveland posted an 11-4 record during January -- the franchise's best single-month mark since November 2017.
Included in the Cavs' 11-4 record last month was an Eastern Conference-best 6-1 record at home. Cleveland also ranked second in the East in points per game allowed (101.9), defensive field goal percentage (.439) and opponent assists per game (21.6) while ranking third in defensive rating (107.4) and fourth in opponent defensive rebounds per game (31.9) throughout the month.
On the offensive side of the court, the Cavs scored at least 110 points five times in January, totaled 25 assists or more on 11 occasions and shot .500 from the field in three games. At 31-20, Cleveland currently lays claim to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference heading into Wednesday night's road game against the Houston Rockets.
Bickerstaff's recognition could be one of many to occur this week, with second-year guard Isaac Okoro and rookie big man Evan Mobley having been named to the NBA Rising Stars event at All-Star Weekend earlier this week. On Thursday, the NBA will announce its full rosters for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, with Cavs center Jarrett Allen and point guard Darius Garland both considered candidates to make the Eastern Conference squad.
Bickerstaff is the first Cavs coach to have been named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month since Tyronn Lue received the recognition in October/November 2016.