The Detroit Pistons’ owner had a message for fans on Wednesday night.
During the team’s road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tom Gores released a statement via social media (on X) Wednesday night, thanking the fanbase for its support and making it clear that the team is standing behind the players suspended after Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After a second-quarter brawl with the Timberwolves, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and players Ron Holland II, Marcus Sasser and Isaiah Stewart were all ejected. Stewart received a two-game suspension and Holland and Sasser got one-game bans apiece. All three missed Wednesday’s game against the NBA-leading Thunder.
“In recent days, our team has faced scrutiny stemming from moments of intensity on the court,” Gores said in the statement. “Let me be absolutely clear: We stand behind our players.
“While I wish the penalty outcome had been different, I write to you with a full heart — with pride in our players, passion for our city, and a clear voice of support for all those who wear the Pistons’ colors. We are bonded through our challenges.
Together, we will keep proving that #DetroitBasketball is more than a game – it’s a way of life. pic.twitter.com/Cc1O5tluVc
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) April 3, 2025
[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Detroit Pistonspodcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
“Our players compete with passion and teamwork — values that so many of us share. Detroit has always been a city that plays with hustle and pride. The Pistons have never shied away from playing hard and having each other’s backs, and we won’t start now. In Detroit, we rise together.
“To our players and coaches: Continue to work hard and play hard. We see you. We appreciate you. We support you. Your dedication fuels this franchise, and your courage inspires us all.
“To our fans: thank you for riding with us through every game, battle, and moment. Your energy fuels our players and makes the Pistons who we are.
“Together, we will keep building. together, we will keep competing. and together, we will keep proving that Detroit basketball is more than a game — it’s a way of life.”
The Pistons entered Wednesday’s game with 42 wins, tripling their total from their historically bad 2023-24 season. They are a win away — or a loss by the Orlando Magic who play Thursday night — from clinching a playoff berth for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores on suspensions: ‘Moments of intensity’
The Detroit Pistons’ owner had a message for fans on Wednesday night.
During the team’s road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tom Gores released a statement via social media (on X) Wednesday night, thanking the fanbase for its support and making it clear that the team is standing behind the players suspended after Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After a second-quarter brawl with the Timberwolves, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and players Ron Holland II, Marcus Sasser and Isaiah Stewart were all ejected. Stewart received a two-game suspension and Holland and Sasser got one-game bans apiece. All three missed Wednesday’s game against the NBA-leading Thunder.
“In recent days, our team has faced scrutiny stemming from moments of intensity on the court,” Gores said in the statement. “Let me be absolutely clear: We stand behind our players.
“While I wish the penalty outcome had been different, I write to you with a full heart — with pride in our players, passion for our city, and a clear voice of support for all those who wear the Pistons’ colors. We are bonded through our challenges.
Together, we will keep proving that #DetroitBasketball is more than a game – it’s a way of life. pic.twitter.com/Cc1O5tluVc
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) April 3, 2025
[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Detroit Pistonspodcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
“Our players compete with passion and teamwork — values that so many of us share. Detroit has always been a city that plays with hustle and pride. The Pistons have never shied away from playing hard and having each other’s backs, and we won’t start now. In Detroit, we rise together.
“To our players and coaches: Continue to work hard and play hard. We see you. We appreciate you. We support you. Your dedication fuels this franchise, and your courage inspires us all.
“To our fans: thank you for riding with us through every game, battle, and moment. Your energy fuels our players and makes the Pistons who we are.
“Together, we will keep building. together, we will keep competing. and together, we will keep proving that Detroit basketball is more than a game — it’s a way of life.”
The Pistons entered Wednesday’s game with 42 wins, tripling their total from their historically bad 2023-24 season. They are a win away — or a loss by the Orlando Magic who play Thursday night — from clinching a playoff berth for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores on suspensions: ‘Moments of intensity’
