Following the Detroit Pistons‘ 113-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, Pistons’ head coach JB Bickerstaff had some harsh words for the game’s officials.
The game was largely competitive, with the Pistons holding their own against the Western Conference juggernaut, until the third quarter was marred by officials. In the quarter, the Pistons were called for five technical fouls, including two on star Cade Cunningham that resulted in his ejection from the game. Crew chief Brian Forte would explain that Cade’s ejection was due to profanity directed at officials. Following the game, Bickerstaff did not hold back in his response:
“I’m disgusted by the way that game was officiated. The level of disrespect was above and beyond. They have a guy fall down and trip on his own teammate’s foot, they review us for a hostile act. They throw an elbow to our chest and neck area, I ask to at least take a look at it (on video). … No one would take a look at it. The disrespect has gone far enough, and I’m not going to allow our guys to be treated the way they were tonight.”
Bickerstaff’s rant, which will likely end up with a fine from the league, highlights a number of issues with the Pistons and officials this season. Despite being 10th in the league in points per game and averaging 20.6 field goal attempts, Cunningham ranks only 19th in attempts at 5.3 per game. The Pistons as a whole average 21.7 free-throw attempts per game, which is 16th in the league.
While Pistons players stated they could’ve handled the situation better, the fact that the players know there are gaps in officiating speaks volumes. The Pistons have had multiple games where non-calls have affected the game’s outcome. The Pistons, as with Bickerstaff, are frustrated and can only play within the lines for so long.
Bickerstaff’s comments should also ring well in the locker room, where the team knows their coach has their backs in the situation. Bickerstaff has led a major culture shift in Detroit, and everyone in the organization has bought into the mentality. While the referees’ calls aren’t favoring the Pistons, the team has embodied Bickerstaff’s grit and brutal honesty.
Detroit will play next at the New Orleans Pelicans on March 17th.
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