Pistons Head Coach Was ‘Disgusted’ by Officiating in Loss to OKC Thunder

Oklahoma City has been at the forefront of discussion topics over the course of the NBA season. It makes sense, as this young Thunder team is currently running away with the Western Conference and enjoying the best season in franchise history. The team’s superstar, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is the leader for the NBA’s MVP award, too.

Recently, though, opposing fans and media have commented on the way Oklahoma City is officiated. Gilgeous-Alexander has had to battle the label of baiting fouls all season long, even though it isn’t warranted. The Thunder is officiated just like any other team, and the statistics show it. Oklahoma City is called for a ton of fouls, and the Thunder shoot free throws at a pretty low rate.

In the Thunder’s recent win in Detroit, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was the latest staffer to speak out on the officiating following a game against the Thunder. He didn’t comment on Gilgeous-Alexander, or the Thunder receiving excess calls, but rather his qualms were centered around Detroit’s technical fouls and failure to review a play.

"I'm disgusted by the way that game was officiated," Bickerstaff said. "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. ... 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."

Detroit was handed five technical fouls in its loss to Oklahoma City. In a game where Gilgeous-Alexander took 10 free throws, half of them came from technical fouls on the Pistons.

Two of those technicals were called on Pistons star Cade Cunningham, resulting in an ejection. Bickerstaff had a bone to pick with those two calls, as it appears Cunningham was just talking to the officials. The crew later explained it after the game.

"Cunningham was given his first technical foul for disrespectfully addressing an official with profanity," crew chief Brian Forte said after the game, explaining the situation. "After the free throw for the first technical was shot, Cade continued to use profanity toward the official and received his second technical foul and was ejected."

While the officiating might’ve been suspect at points throughout the game, Oklahoma won because of its temperament. The Thunder kept its cool the entire game and didn’t react.

Of course, for Detroit, it’s easier to spiral at home with the crowd egging it on. But Cunningham’s technicals proved costly. All in all, the Thunder committed 20 personal fouls compared to Detroit’s 21. The time and nature of the calls may have swayed Bickerstaff’s reaction, though.

"That crew was the loosest whistle coming into the game that we've seen all season in terms of how little they call," Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. "I thought our guys did a great job of not getting distracted by anything."

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