Cade Cunningham

Pistons Clinch First Playoff Berth Since 2019

April 4th, 2025 at 9:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With their win in Toronto on Friday, the Pistons have officially clinched a top-six spot in the Eastern Conference, securing their first playoff berth since the 2018/19 season (Twitter link).

It’s the latest achievement in what has been a remarkable turnaround for the Pistons, who posted the worst record in the NBA – and the worst mark in franchise history – a year ago when they went 14-68. Detroit has more than tripled that win total this season, sitting at 43-34 with five games still to play.

The Pistons’ bounce-back season has been driven by an All-NBA caliber performance from former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, though he wasn’t in action in Friday’s playoff clincher, having missed his sixth consecutive game due to a left calf contusion.

Instead, it was rising third-year center Jalen Duren (21 points, 18 rebounds, six assists, four blocks), Sixth Man of the Year contender Malik Beasley (21 points), and veteran role player Tim Hardaway Jr. (23 points) who played key roles in the 117-105 win over the Raptors.

Veteran forward Tobias Harris and second-year wing Ausar Thompson are among the other most important contributors in Detroit, along with veteran guard Dennis Schröder, who has taken on a role similar to the one Jaden Ivey played before breaking his leg in January.

While the Pistons have now secured their spot in the postseason, their exact seed in the Eastern Conference is still to be determined.

Friday’s victory moves them a half-game ahead of the 42-34 Bucks for the No. 5 spot, which would likely line them up for a first-round date with the No. 4 Pacers. Sliding to No. 6 would probably result in a matchup with the Knicks in round one, though neither New York nor Indiana is officially locked into its seed yet.

As Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press notes, the Timberwolves are now assured of receiving the Pistons’ 2025 first-round pick, which had been top-13 protected.

Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Schröder, Gores, Harris

April 3rd, 2025 at 9:23am CST by Dana Gauruder

Cade Cunningham made his first All-Star appearance this season. The Pistons guard wants even greater recognition as his career unfolds, he told Eric Woodyard of ESPN.

“I think I can be the best basketball player in the world. I think I’m on my way,” Cunningham said. “I want people to understand that and that’s what I’m working to show people every time I play.”

Prior to the team’s astonishing turnaround, the No. 1 pick of the 2021 draft heard whispers that he was a bust, even after signing a max extension last summer. He understood the criticism and took it constructively.

“There was a time where I didn’t give them much else to think,” said Cunningham, who has missed the last five games with a calf contusion. “But I felt support since day one being here, though, and more than anything I wanted to hold up my end of the bargain.”

We have more on the Pistons:

Ron Holland and Marcus Sasser served their one-game suspensions and Isaiah Stewart began his two-game ban in the Pistons’ 119-103 loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The suspensions resulted from an altercation with the Timberwolves on Sunday. That led to a 40-minute outing for veteran point guard Dennis Schröder, who produced 15 points and seven assists. Schröder, a trade-deadline acquisition, has also been increasingly relied upon in crunch time, even when Cunningham plays. “I love watching him play in the fourth quarter,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff told the Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II. “I love watching him play in those big moments because he finds a way to impact the game.”
Owner Tom Gores is fighting back on criticism of his players in the aftermath of the dust-up with the Timberwolves. He issued a statement via the team’s PR department (Twitter link) which read, “In recent days, our team has faced scrutiny stemming from moments of intensity on the court. Let me be absolutely clear: We stand behind our players. While I wish the penalty outcome had been different, I write to you with a full heart — with pride in our players, passion for our city, and a clear voice of support for all those who wear the Pistons’ colors. We are bonded through our challenges. Our players compete with passion and teamwork — values that so many of us share. Detroit has always been a city that plays with hustle and pride. The Pistons have never shied away from playing hard and having each other’s backs, and we won’t start now. In Detroit, we rise together. To our players and coaches: Continue to work hard and play hard. We see you. We appreciate you. We support you. Your dedication fuels this franchise, and your courage inspires us all. To our fans: thank you for riding with us through every game, battle, and moment. Your energy fuels our players and makes the Pistons who we are. Together, we will keep building. together, we will keep competing. and together, we will keep proving that Detroit basketball is more than a game — it’s a way of life.”
Starting forward Tobias Harris left Wednesday’s game in the second half due to right Achilles tendinopathy, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link). Harris, who scored 10 points in 22 minutes, missed the previous two games with the same issue. Harris has appeared in 70 games, averaging 13.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in the first season of his two-year contract he signed as a free agent.

Award Candidates Who Still Need To Reach 65-Game Mark

April 2nd, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

There are just 12 days left in the 2024/25 regular season, which means time is running out for certain end-of-season award candidates to meet the 65-game minimum to qualify for consideration.

A player doesn’t need to reach that 65-game mark in order to be eligible for Sixth Man of the Year, Rookie of the Year, or All-Rookie teams, but it’s a necessary requirement for most of the marquee awards: Most Valuable Player, All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defense, and Most Improved Player.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), the following players who could be in the mix for one or more of those awards haven’t yet met the 65-game criteria, but still have a chance to do so:

Evan Mobley, Cavaliers (64 games played)
LeBron James, Lakers (64)
Jalen Williams, Thunder (64)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (63)
Stephen Curry, Warriors (63)
Amen Thompson, Rockets (63)
Kevin Durant, Suns (62)
Jalen Brunson, Knicks (61)
Domantas Sabonis, Kings (61)
Scottie Barnes, Raptors (61)
Draymond Green, Warriors (60)
Jaylen Brown, Celtics (59)
Damian Lillard, Bucks (59)
Jrue Holiday, Celtics (58)

In some cases, a player’s actual games played total doesn’t match up with the figure noted above. That’s because in order for a game to count before the 65-game minimum, the player must be on the court for at least 20 minutes. A player is also permitted to count a maximum of two games between 15 and 20 minutes toward that minimum.

Let’s use Mobley as an example. The Cavaliers big man has technically appeared in 66 games this season, but he played just 12 minutes in one of those games, 18 minutes in two of them, and 19 minutes in one. That means he only has 64 games that actually count toward the minimum — all 62 games in which he played 20-plus minutes, along with two of those games between 15-20 minutes.

Mobley will have to play at least 20 minutes once more this season in order to be eligible for awards like Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defense, and All-NBA. Given that he’s healthy and the Cavs still have seven games left on their schedule, Mobley should have no problem meeting that requirement. But it’ll be a taller order for some of the other players on this list.

Durant is currently sidelined with an ankle sprain and has been ruled out for at least two more games. He would have to play 20-plus minutes in three of the Suns‘ final four games to be award-eligible. Brunson, on the shelf due to his own ankle sprain, is in a similar boat, though the Knicks guard has a chance to return before Durant does.

Lillard, who is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his calf, seems pretty unlikely to play in six of the Bucks‘ last seven games. Holiday is healthy but has no wiggle room to miss any of the Celtics‘ remaining seven games.

Many of this year’s other top award contenders have already met the 65-game criteria. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic did so in style on Tuesday night — his 65th game of the season was an incredible 61-point triple-double in a 140-139 double-overtime loss to Minnesota.

However, according to the latest straw poll conducted by Tim Bontemps of ESPN, Jokic is the clear runner-up to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (who has played 72 games) in the MVP race. Of the 100 media members polled by Bontemps, 77 picked the Thunder guard as their Most Valuable Player, while just 23 chose Jokic. The three-time MVP may need a couple more performances like Tuesday’s in order to close that gap by the end of the season.

Besides Jokic, one other notable player who has narrowly eclipsed the 65-game minimum is Cade Cunningham. The Pistons guard has missed four games in a row with a left calf injury and is considered doubtful to return on Wednesday, but he played his 65th game on March 19, prior to his recent absence.

That’s especially important for Cunningham and the Pistons because, as Bontemps notes, the fourth-year guard is considered a virtual lock to earn a spot on one of this year’s All-NBA teams, which will ensure that his maximum-salary rookie scale extension begins at 30% of the 2025/26 salary cap instead of 25%. That would increase the overall projected value of Cunningham’s five-year deal from $224.2MM to $269.1MM.

Pistons Notes: Bickerstaff, THJ, Thompson, Offseason, Cunningham

March 30th, 2025 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons have become the first team in NBA history to triple their win total in back-to-back 82-game seasons. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is one of the league’s top candidates for Coach of the Year with his main competition being his successor with the Cavaliers, Kenny Atkinson.

After going 14-68 last season, Detroit swept a three-game homestand to reach the 42-win total despite the absence of star Cade Cunningham. That should bolster Bickerstaff’s candidacy, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic notes.

“The way we play is his style, brand of basketball and his attitude,” Tim Hardaway Jr. said. “He’s done an amazing job of giving guys that confidence, giving guys that ability to go out there and compete on both ends of the floor. No matter if you make a mistake here or there or multiple mistakes in a row, as long as you’re competing and moving on to the next play, that’s all he cares about.

“And when you have a coach like that, and a coach that also communicates to each one of his players like he does — goes up to each one of them before practice, after practice just to ask how your day is going — that goes a long way. We want to go to battle for him. We want to go to war for him, and I feel like that’s what makes him the Coach of the Year.”

We have more on the Pistons:

Ausar Thompson‘s rookie season ended abruptly due to blood clotting issues. In his second season, the 2023 lottery pick has emerged as a defensive stopper and steady contributor for the league’s most surprising club. Thompson told Grant Afseth of RG.org that physicality is the key to his defensive approach. “I think being physical off-ball,” Thompson said. “When they pass the ball — if they cut, hit ’em a little bit because then it’s gonna slow down the cut. They might try and talk to you. So yeah, just be physical with them, not let them be comfortable and slow ‘em down.”
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com doubts the front office will pursue an in-his-prime star this offseason to pair with Cunningham. Langlois anticipates the Pistons will be focused on ensuring there are enough solid veterans around Cunningham, since Malik Beasley and Hardaway will be free agents. Langlois also notes that Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson all have a chance to blossom into legitimate No. 2 options alongside Cunningham.
Cunningham missed his fourth straight game on Sunday due to a left calf contusion. Bickerstaff feels as though the point guard’s teammates have embraced the challenge of playing without him, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets. “He’s earned so much of their respect in putting this team together and helping it evolve and grow …they’ve individually gone out and tried to be the best version of themselves,” he said.
Tobias Harris was a late scratch on Sunday, the team’s PR department tweets. He’s dealing with an Achilles injury and also missed Friday’s win over Cleveland.

Latest On Ja Morant, Cade Cunningham Injuries

March 28th, 2025 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant missed a sixth consecutive game on Thursday vs. Oklahoma City due to a left hamstring strain. As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters on Thursday – before being fired by the team on Friday – that Morant is in the “day-to-day phase” of his recovery and is aiming to return soon.

“He’s been progressing in his on-court workouts,” Jenkins said. “It’s a matter of hitting top-end speeds to make sure that hamstring is in a good place when he’s comfortable enough to return. … He’s working his tail off to get back out there. We’re excited to get him back out there. He is, too.”

Morant has battled injuries, including a series of shoulder issues, all year long and has appeared in only 43 of Memphis’ 73 games this season. The club has a 28-15 record in those contests and has gone just 16-14 when its star point guard is unavailable.

Having Morant as much as possible down the stretch would be big for the Grizzlies, who are in the midst of a competitive race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. At 44-29, they’re tied with the Lakers for the fourth-best record in the conference and have a 2.5-game cushion on the Clippers and Warriors, who are both 41-31.

Meanwhile, over in the East, another star point guard is on the shelf for a team battling for a top-four spot in the playoffs. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham will miss a third consecutive game on Friday vs. Cleveland due to a left calf injury.

According to a press release from the team (Twitter link), Cunningham underwent an MRI on his affected calf, which confirmed that he’s dealing with a contusion, an injury he suffered last Friday vs. Dallas. Like Morant, Cunningham is considered day-to-day in his recovery, per the Pistons.

The Pistons have a 41-32 record, which puts them fifth in the East, two games behind the No. 4 Pacers and a half-game ahead of the No. 6 Bucks. There’s a significant gap between Milwaukee and No. 7 Atlanta, so Detroit is in no danger of falling out of the top six in the conference, but the team could secure a more favorable seed (and first-round matchup) with a strong finish.

Cunningham has appeared in 66 games so far this season, so he has met the minimum requirement to qualify for award consideration and looks like a good bet to make an All-NBA team. If he achieves that feat, his maximum-salary rookie scale extension would start at 30% (instead of 25%) of the 2025/26 cap.

Central Notes: Mobley, Cavs, Mathurin, Holland, Sasser

March 24th, 2025 at 2:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley is viewed as one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year in 2024/25, and while he had no qualms about making a case for himself, he was more interested in talking about the team’s goals when he recently spoke to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.

“I’m mostly just focused on the playoffs,” Mobley said. “I’m just trying to be as great as possible in the playoffs and go as far as we can in the playoffs.”

Mobley has been highly impressive in his fourth NBA season, averaging a career-best 18.6 points to go along with 9.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks in a career-low 30.2 minutes per contest across 63 outings. His shooting slash line is .568/.372/.729.

The 23-year-old forward/center is the only player from the East to have the won the new Defensive Player of the Month award two times this season, Medina notes. Mobley pointed out that his impact goes beyond what a traditional box score can measure.

“There are defenders not even taking a shot,” Mobley told Sportskeeda. “They’re coming in down the paint and see me there. Then they turn back around and go somewhere else. Those plays don’t necessarily get tracked. But that’s a big factor.”

Here’s more from the Central:

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link) and Tony Jones of The Athletic explain why Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson decided to have a “fun practice” on Saturday following a four-game losing streak, helping the players rediscover the joy they’ve played with all season. Instead of letting frustration seep in, the team instead played H.O.R.S.E and cracked jokes while watching highlights the coaching staff compiled of the players when they participated in the NCAA Tournament. “I think it’s been important to not overreact,” Atkinson said, per Jones. “To be clear, I’m not happy with the way we have played. We haven’t played well in the last week. But, you have to look at things in the big picture. And in the big picture, I’ll take who this team has been during the other 97 percent of the season over what we have been over the last week.” Cleveland snapped its four-game skid with a dominant second half on Sunday in Utah against the tanking Jazz.
Over the course of Bennedict Mathurin‘s three seasons with the Pacers, there has been a constant effort to try to figure out how best to incorporate his more ball-dominant, one-on-one style within the movement-oriented flow of a Tyrese Haliburton-led offense. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes, the issue becomes even more complicated in instances when Haliburton is unavailable — he missed time recently with a back ailment. When Haliburton is out, Mathurin, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer, gets more freedom to try and score however he can out of necessity. The tension between the two playing styles has defined Mathurin’s tenure with the team to this point, Dopirak adds. “It’s two different styles,” Carlisle said, “and I just let him know at halftime (on Saturday vs. Brooklyn) that I acknowledge that if he had the ball every time and we spread it out every time and he was doing the stuff we were doing when we were down in those games (without Haliburton), that he would score and he would get to the free throw line. But in the flow of our normal game, that’s not who we are. We’ve gotta work to bring the two forces of nature together.”
With Cade Cunningham (calf soreness) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle sprain) out Sunday vs. New Orleans, rookie forward Ron Holland helped spark a Pistons victory, recording 26 points (on 10-of-14 shooting), six assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes off the bench. The fifth overall pick in last year’s draft tied his career high for points in a game and set a new one in assists. Second-year guard Marcus Sasser, who has been in and out of the rotation in 2024/25, was also instrumental to the win, scoring 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Hunter Patterson of The Athletic and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com have the stories and quotes.

Community Shootaround: Most Improved Player

March 23rd, 2025 at 8:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Most Improved Player award has – at least according to the oddsmakers – become a two-man race.

On one side is Cade Cunningham, the face of the vastly-improved Pistons. On the other is Dyson Daniels, who has blossomed into a stat-sheet stuffing backcourt partner for Hawks star Trae Young.

Let’s examine their cases.

Cunningham came into Sunday’s action averaging 25.7 points, 9.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 35.2 minutes per game. Last season, when the Pistons won just 14 games, Cunningham averaged 22.7 points, 7.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per contest

The only negative would be an increase in turnovers per game this season (4.5) compared to 3.4 last season. That’s due in part to the season-ending leg injury to Jaden Ivey on New Year’s Day, which has put the ball in Cunningham’s hands more often. His usage rate is 34.4%, up from 31.7%.

Cunningham, a first-time All-Star, has benefited from an improved supporting cast. He’s got a better group of veterans around him this season, allowing him to be a more effective play-maker. He’s embraced his leadership role and delivered in the clutch, making game-winners such as his buzzer-beating three-pointer against Miami on Wednesday.

There was little doubt Cunningham could be this kind of player. After all, he was the top pick of the 2021 draft and got a max extension last season. Should those facts work against his candidacy? However, there’s no denying that Cunningham’s steady brilliance has silenced any doubters regarding the franchise’s faith in him after its worst season.

Daniels, a third-year wing, was mainly a second-unit player in his first two seasons with the Pelicans. Included in the blockbuster deal that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans, Daniels has seized the opportunity to become a full-time starter.

In 65 starts, Daniels is averaging 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.0 steals in 33.9 minutes per game. Last season, Daniels posted 5.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.4 SPG in 22.3 MPG.

He’s the runaway leader in the league in steals per game, making him a dark-horse candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, an award typically dominated by centers and forwards.

Working against Daniels’ candidacy is that he doesn’t have the pressure of being the team’s star like Cunningham. The Hawks also have a losing record, though they still lead the weak Southeast Division. But the No. 8 pick of the 2022 draft has clearly made a name for himself after two nondescript seasons with the Pelicans.

Clippers veteran forward Norman Powell was a prime candidate for the award until an injury derailed his campaign and made him ineligible.

Christian Braun, Evan Mobley and Tyler Herro are some of the other players have been mentioned as candidates.

That brings us to today’s topic: Who’s your selection for the Most Improved Player award – the Pistons’ Cunningham or Hawks’ Daniels? Or is there another player more worthy of that honor?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Central Notes: Mitchell, Slumping Cavs, Cunningham, Lillard

March 22nd, 2025 at 10:06am CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell is owning responsibility for Cleveland’s current losing streak, which extended to four games on Friday in Phoenix, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes (subscription required).

“Put this on me,” Mitchell said. “When your leader ain’t doing [expletive], this is what happens. If I’m not being who I need to be then we’re not going to get to where we want to get to. So, until that happens — and it will — yeah, if you’re looking for where to point, it’s right here.”

Since the beginning of March, Mitchell is shooting 32.9% from the field and 17.9% on three-pointers, compared to 44.1% and 37.0% on the season, Fedor adds. In their four straight losses, he’s down to 18.5 PPG on 29.6% shooting.

“I’ve been like this for the past four games, and we’ve lost four straight,” Mitchell said. “I have to be better. Simple as that. We have to guard better. We have to rebound. [Expletive] all that. It’s on me. I have to be better for the group. I’ve been good for the group all year. But this is on me. There really is nowhere else to look. I will be better.“

We have more from the Central Division:

The Cavaliers‘ Friday loss represents their lowest point of the season, Fedor writes in another story (subscription required). Cleveland has given up at least 120 points three times in its last four losses and ranks in the bottom half of the league defensively this month. Meanwhile, the scorching-hot offense that overshadowed any defensive shortcomings earlier in the year has faltered as of late. Of course, the Cavaliers still hold a five-game lead over the second-place Celtics in the East, but they’ll want to right the ship in the coming weeks to regain some momentum entering the postseason.
Wednesday’s performance against the Heat was the pinnacle of Pistons star Cade Cunningham‘s young career, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic opines. Cunningham recorded team highs in points (25), rebounds (12) and assists (11) as he notched a triple-double and knocked down his first career game-winning three-pointer. The former No. 1 overall pick felt the game was a culmination of everything he has been through, including the 28 straight losses the Pistons endured last season and the injury that limited him to 12 games in his sophomore season. “It’s still early though, I feel like,” Cunningham said. “I still feel like there’s so much to do. There’s still so much that I haven’t experienced.“
Bucks star Damian Lillard missed Thursday’s game against the Lakers due to calf soreness, per NBA insider Chris Haynes, and he’ll also miss Saturday’s tilt in Sacramento, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). It’s the first time since late December that Lillard had to miss consecutive games. He’s averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game in his age-34 season. Guard Ryan Rollins drew the start on Thursday in Lillard’s absence.

Central Notes: Cunningham, Duren, Pistons, White, Allen, Mobley

March 20th, 2025 at 10:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons and Cade Cunningham got a chance to show their stuff Wednesday on a national-televised game against the Heat and they took advantage of it. Cunningham hit a game-winning three-pointer in the final second as the Pistons improved their record to 39-31, giving them 25 more wins than all of last season.

Cunningham, a first-time All-Star, deserves to be on an All-NBA team, in the opinion of center Jalen Duren, as Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets.

“We’re still trying to make a case for that? Man. If you don’t know that by now, not only are you not watching us, you’re not watching basketball,” Duren said. “He’s been the best guard in the NBA all year, if you ask me. Watch the games, man.”

An All-NBA selection would be a financial boon for Cunningham. He signed a five-year max rookie scale extension in July, which goes into effect in 2025/26. Making an All-NBA team would push the first year of that extension to 30 percent of the cap, rather than 25 percent.

We have more from the Central Division:

An underrated reason for the Pistons’ success is that they’ve answered the bell, Sankofa notes. Other than Jaden Ivey, who suffered a broken fibula on Jan. 1, the rotation members have remained healthy and available for the most part. Cunningham, who battled injuries in his previous seasons, is on pace to play 70 games. Rookie Ron Holland and sixth man Malik Beasley have appeared in every game. “That’s been huge towards our consistency as a group, having pretty much the same starting five most games this year,” Cunningham said. “Same rotation, guys are able to play every night. It’s a huge thing. I know it helps coach a lot. It’s huge for our synergy, knowing where everybody is going to be at, keeping the same consistency as far as groups on the floor and things like that. Health is the main thing. ‘The best ability is availability’ is what they always say.”
Bulls guard Coby White, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, told the Chicago Tribune’s Julia Poe that his struggles early in his career are now paying dividends. “I wasn’t very good when I came into the league,” he said. “I had a lot to learn. It was all about humbling myself to the point where I looked in the mirror and said, ‘I have to get better. I have to get stronger. I have to be more physical. I have to figure out who I am as a player.'” He’s averaging 24.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists since the All-Star break.
Prior to this season, there was serious doubt whether the pairing of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen could work. Those concerns have been eased by the Cavaliers’ success. Allen explained to Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina have they’ve learn to be effective for long stretches. “Evan is really benefiting from this offense. You can see his numbers and his confidence. We can all see it,” Allen said. “He’s leading our team. It makes it easier. We have our separate roles now. He’s on the outside, shooting threes, running the offense and pushing it. And I’m in the dunker (spot) doing what I’m used to.”

Pistons’ Bickerstaff ‘Disgusted’ By Officiating In Loss To OKC

March 16th, 2025 at 4:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff ripped into the officiating crew on Saturday in his post-game media session following a six-point loss to the Thunder, as Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes. Bickerstaff told reporters that he was “extremely proud” about how his team competed, but was “disgusted” by the way the game was officiated.

“The level of disrespect was above and beyond,” the Pistons’ coach said (YouTube link). “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/neck area, I ask them to at least take a look at it. Just show us the respect to take a look at it. No one would take a look at it. The disrespect has gone on far enough and I’m not going to allow our guys to be treated the way they were treated tonight.”

During the sequence Bickerstaff was referring to, the referees reviewed a relatively mild Isaiah Stewart loose-ball foul to see if it constituted a “hostile act.” The infraction was eventually ruled a common foul, but the Pistons were hit with three technicals – two and an ejection for Cade Cunningham and one Dennis Schröder – following that replay review for arguing with the officiating crew.

Crew chief Brian Forte explained to a pool reporter after the game that Cunningham repeatedly used “profanity” toward an official, while Schröder was given a tech for “continuous complaining” after the Pistons had received a team warning.

Bickerstaff and Pistons wing Ausar Thompson were also hit with technical fouls earlier in the game.

“I tried to have a conversation with an official, the official is arguing with (Thunder head coach) Mark (Daigneault), I say his name one time and he screams at me and tells me that’s enough,” Bickerstaff said, per Sankofa. “We understand that we play a style of ball that’s physical, it’s on the edge. I coach my ass off in a passionate way, I’m into the game, our players are into the game. We understand that.

“But we deserve a level of respect because we’re competing our tails off and bringing something positive to this league. We’re growing young players, our young players are competing their tails off. The least that they can do is give us the same respect that everybody else in this league gets and get refereed the same that everybody in this league gets reffed,” Bickerstaff continued, repeatedly and forcefully slamming his hand on the table for emphasis. “And enough is enough of it. What you saw tonight was disgusting. It was a disgusting display of disrespect towards our guys and what we’re trying to do.”

The Thunder made 17-of-22 free throw attempts on the night, compared to 9-of-13 for the Pistons — that disparity made the difference in a game that Oklahoma City won by a score of 113-107.

Asked in his own post-game media session about Bickerstaff’s comments, Daigneault said he advised his team before tip-off that the officiating crew, based on the Thunder’s research and referee analytics, was unlikely to call a ton of fouls.

“That referee crew was the loosest whistle coming into the game that we’ve seen all season, in terms of how little they call,” he said (Twitter video link via Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman). “So we knew, we told the guys before the game, ‘This is going to be a physical game because it’s Detroit and they’re not going to call very much.’ That bore out, I thought, with the amount of physicality they allowed in the game. I thought our guys did a great job of not getting distracted by anything.”

While the NBA hasn’t made an announcement yet, Bickerstaff seems likely to face a fine for publicly calling out the officials.

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