Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham’s night ended in frustration on Saturday after a controversial ejection late in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder. His dismissal came during a chaotic sequence where OKC attempted five free throws in one possession, sparking outrage from fans and a furious postgame rant from Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
With 47.5 seconds left in the third quarter, Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart was called for a loose ball foul on Thunder center Jaylin Williams. During the review of the play—where Lu Dort slipped on his own teammate’s foot—Cunningham picked up a technical foul while talking to an official.
As players lined up for free throws, Cunningham continued to express his frustration and was hit with a second technical, resulting in his automatic ejection. To make matters worse, Dennis Schröder was also given a technical foul, leading to a sequence where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drained three technical free throws and Williams splitting his two, to give the Thunder a 15-point lead, 88-73.
Cunningham, who was having a rough shooting night (5-for-18 from the field), finished with 11 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds before being sent to the locker room. This marks the second ejection of his career—the first came in 2022 after he pointed to his own bench following a dunk.
J.B. Bickerstaff Blasts Officiating in Furious Rant
The officiating wasn’t just a problem for Cunningham—it was a major source of frustration for Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. After his team’s 113-107 loss, Bickerstaff didn’t hold back, calling the referees’ performance “disgusting” and accusing them of disrespecting the Pistons.
“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, neck area. I ask for them to at least take a look at it. No one would take a look at it.”
Bickerstaff slammed the table multiple times during his rant, demanding fair treatment for his young team. “We deserve a level of respect because we’re competing our tails off. The least that they could do is get the same respect that everybody else in this league gets.”
Despite Cunningham’s absence, the Pistons fought back in the fourth quarter, cutting a 16-point deficit down to just four points in the final minutes. However, they couldn’t complete the comeback, suffering their second straight loss.
The Pistons currently hold the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and remain 4.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Hawks in the standings. But with frustrations boiling over, Bickerstaff could be looking at a potential fine from the league for his heated comments.
For now, Detroit will have to regroup quickly as they prepare for their next challenge—hopefully with better luck from the referees.
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