Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn’t hold back in his postgame remarks following his team’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.
Frustrated with the officiating throughout the contest, Bickerstaff unleashed a scathing critique, accusing the referees of showing blatant disrespect toward his team and mishandling crucial calls.
“I’m disgusted by the way that game was officiated,” the strategist vented. “The level of disrespect was above and beyond.”
The Pistons coach pointed to multiple questionable calls, including one instance where an OKC player tripped over his own teammate which led to an official review against Detroit for a hostile act.
“They have a guy fall down and trip on his own teammate’s foot, they review us for a hostile act,” Bickerstaff explained, incredulous. “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.”
Bickerstaff made it clear he believes his players are being unfairly targeted by referees and vowed to stand up for them moving forward. “The disrespect has gone far enough, and I’m not going to allow our guys to be treated the way they were tonight.”
The frustrations boiled over during the game, leading to the ejection of Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, who, according to crew chief Brian Forte, was tossed for “directing continuous profanity towards the officiating crew.”
Meanwhile, veteran guard Dennis Schröder also received a technical foul for what officials deemed excessive complaining.
Detroit, already struggling in a difficult season, now finds itself at odds with its on-court opponents and the referees as well – at least in Bickerstaff’s eyes.
JB Bickerstaff 'Disgusted' By Officiating In Pistons Loss To Thunder https://t.co/edtjzxwk0z
— RealGM (@RealGM) March 16, 2025
