J.B. Bickerstaff accuses specific referee of being unfair to Detroit Pistons

The Pistons failed to capture their fifth consecutive regular season victory against Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks after an overtime 116 to 114 loss.

The Mavericks are no 11-17 while the Pistons fell to 21-6. This is a game the Pistons want back. Detroit received a reality check before a big road trip begins following the home matchup against Charlotte Saturday night.

The Pistons did not play well against Dallas. The team shot 39% from the field and 18% from the three-point line. Shooting 18% from three and still being within reach to win the game is a blessing in itself. Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff thinks there was an external factor that contributed to Detroit's overtime loss.

JB Bickerstaf — Jan 1, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons head coach JB. Bickerstaff yells instructions to his team against the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Bickerstaff calls out referee

Bickerstaff has a history with one of the referees from yesterday's matchup. While he didn't name any of them specifically, he was reciting calls from the game that referee John Goble called against Detroit. Bickerstaff has a history with Goble, according to him.

"Night by night, this is how our interactions are...So, that says to me that the referee is coming into the game not being objective. OK? That same referee, at halftime, I get my technical foul. I don't say anything to him. I go to grab Cade [Cunningham] to get Cade off the floor. He gives me a technical foul. That's my job to get my player away from the referee, get us back to halftime so we can have the conversations that we need to have."
JB Bickerstaff

Bickerstaff accused the referee of entering the game with a preconceived opinion on Bickerstaff's Pistons. He recalled a specific moment in the game against Dallas where Goble initiated contact with a player and then penalized that player for making contact with him.

"So, the same referee who comes into the game who's not objective, and then he goes out and makes those calls. Same referee, if you take a look at the play where he ejects A.T, he steps towards A.T., right? That's where the minimal contact happens, where he steps towards him and initiates it."
JB Bickerstaff

A reporter was told by Goble that he ejected Ausar Thompson for "for aggressively approaching and making contact with an official." Goble also assessed a technical foul to Bickerstaff near halftime because of the excessive complaining from Bickerstaff. The referee also gave guard Cade Cunningham a technical foul just before the end of halftime for complaining to Goble.

Bickerstaff says one referee made it about him

Bickerstaff wanted to emphasize that this game was about the players and not the referees. He doesn't believe the entire officiating crew is to blame. The Pistons shot 16 less free throws than Dallas, but Cunningham and Duren missed 30 shots combined from the field last night.

"I want to make this clear, this game is not about the referees...You had one guy who wanted to make the game about the referees when that's not what this should have been. This was two teams competing their tails off, playing high-level basketball. But anybody who comes into the game and says 'night by night,' he clearly has an unobjective point of view."
JB Bickerstaff

The Mavericks also expressed disbelief at certain calls referees made last night. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was shocked to see center Anthony Davis called for a foul just seconds before the end of regulation.