In what’s become a storyline as the season has progressed, add Detroit Pistons’ JB Bickerstaff to the growing list of opposing NBA head coaches with steam coming out of their ears playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After the Thunder’s 113-107 win over the Pistons, Bickerstaff’s postgame interview only lasted one question. He utilized his platform to rant about the officials, crumbled his box score, pounded his fist on the table and stormed off.
Talk about a flair for the dramatic. Being an NBA head coach requires a prerequisite of being theatrical. Bickerstaff flexed those acting chops after a third-quarter meltdown by the Pistons finished with five technical fouls and Cade Cunningham’s ejection.
After Isaiah Stewart committed a loose ball foul on Jaylin Williams fighting for a rebound, the Pistons went after the officials for the call. Cunningham was hit with a technical foul. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the free-throw line to swish it in.
During the free-throw attempt, Cunningham was hit with another technical foul. That ended his game. Dennis Schroder was also hit with a technical foul. Add two more points to Gilgeous-Alexander’s total gifted by the Pistons’ frustrations.
All this happened after Bickerstaff was also hit with a technical foul. Egging on the Detroit crowd, fans rained down boos on the officials. Afterward, Crew Chief Brian Forte conducted a pool report to explain the sequence that resulted in three technical free-throw attempts and Cunningham’s ejection in a close contest. In short, he said Cunningham’s language and Schroder’s constant complaints led to their technical fouls.
Bickerstaff didn’t care for the explanation.
“I’m extremely proud of the way they continued to compete. I’m disgusted by the way that game was officiated. The level of disrespect was above and beyond,” Bickerstaff said. “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 for 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 far enough and I’m not going to allow our guys to be treated the way that they were treated tonight. I tried to have a conversation with the official. The official was arguing with Mark, I say his name one time and he screams at me and tells me that’s enough. We understand that we play a style of ball that’s physical, it’s on the edge. I coach my a– off in a passionate way, I’m into the games. Our players are into the games. 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 tail off. The least that they could do is get the same respect that everybody else in this league gets and get refereed the same way that everybody else in this league gets reffed. Enough is enough. What you saw tonight is disgusting. It was a disgusting display of disrespect toward our guys and what we’re trying to do.”
Add Bickerstaff to the club. Chris Finch, Michael Malone and Joe Mazzulla are other NBA head coaches who brought up the officials after their games against the Thunder.
This became the story of the game. Bickerstaff’s rant trended on social media. Such a shame, too. Gilgeous-Alexander’s 48 points to lead a depleted Thunder without Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins should’ve been the headliner instead.
