The Detroit Pistons were confused on a crucial referee non-call and a decision to not review the exact timing on the clock late in Game 3 on Thursday night in a gut-punch 118-116 loss to the New York Knicks at Little Caesars Arena.
Both Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and All-Star guard Cade Cunningham questioned the officiating, particularly the play when Knicks guard Jalen Brunson nearly committed a backcourt violation with 5.8 seconds remaining and the Knicks ahead 116-113.
“There’s some procedural things that we’ve got questions on,” Bickerstaff said.
“If you catch the ball, have possession and put it down, to me, the possession is in the frontcourt. The ball has to be thrown in the backcourt. If you catch it in the frontcourt, it’s not in the backcourt. Maybe I’m wrong, but we’ll see.”
Small Market teams always get screwed.
How is this not over and back on Brunson??? pic.twitter.com/pAHK6sjXI7— Jokicism 🃏 (@jokicgoatic15) April 25, 2025
“I think if you catch the ball in the frontcourt and you cross the (midcourt) line, I thought that was backcourt,” Cunningham said. “Maybe I’m wrong. Always has been my life. And I thought the time on the clock, I thought we could check that. And it was decided not to check it.”
Cunningham said those plays did not decide the game “at all” and would not be harping on those two moments.
“There were a lot of plays in the first quarter, that run, digging a hole,” he said.
Game 3’s lead referee Zach Zarba explained in the pool report that “Brunson’s momentum was taking him” into the backcourt “when he touches the ball. Due to that momentum he’s not considered in a positive position at that time. That’s why it was legal.”
Here’s the pool report on Brunson’s non-backcourt violation. Basically he established possession after he crossed the line, not before, because of his momentum. pic.twitter.com/zK0yiD20wD
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) April 25, 2025
The Pistons had one final gift when a clock malfunction with 0.5 seconds left sounded the buzzer early on a free throw gave the Pistons possession. However Jalen Duren’s inbound pass from in front of the team’s bench sailed aimlessly out of bounds over the head of Cunningham near midcourt.
“It doesn’t seem right to me,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’s unfortunate. That should never happen in a playoff game.”
The Pistons and Knicks resume their best-of-seven first-round series Sunday in Game 4 in Detroit (1 p.m., ABC).
“We won’t be deflated,” Bickerstaff said. “Our guys are too committed to one another. We’re not results-driven. We’ll show up Sunday and we’re gonna lay it on the line. We’re going to fight like hell and see what happens.”
Free Press sports writer Omari Sankofa II contributed.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Cade Cunningham, JB Bickerstaff confused by refs in Game 3 vs Knicks
The Detroit Pistons were confused on a crucial referee non-call and a decision to not review the exact timing on the clock late in Game 3 on Thursday night in a gut-punch 118-116 loss to the New York Knicks at Little Caesars Arena.
Both Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and All-Star guard Cade Cunningham questioned the officiating, particularly the play when Knicks guard Jalen Brunson nearly committed a backcourt violation with 5.8 seconds remaining and the Knicks ahead 116-113.
“There’s some procedural things that we’ve got questions on,” Bickerstaff said.
“If you catch the ball, have possession and put it down, to me, the possession is in the frontcourt. The ball has to be thrown in the backcourt. If you catch it in the frontcourt, it’s not in the backcourt. Maybe I’m wrong, but we’ll see.”
Small Market teams always get screwed.
How is this not over and back on Brunson??? pic.twitter.com/pAHK6sjXI7— Jokicism 🃏 (@jokicgoatic15) April 25, 2025
“I think if you catch the ball in the frontcourt and you cross the (midcourt) line, I thought that was backcourt,” Cunningham said. “Maybe I’m wrong. Always has been my life. And I thought the time on the clock, I thought we could check that. And it was decided not to check it.”
Cunningham said those plays did not decide the game “at all” and would not be harping on those two moments.
“There were a lot of plays in the first quarter, that run, digging a hole,” he said.
Game 3’s lead referee Zach Zarba explained in the pool report that “Brunson’s momentum was taking him” into the backcourt “when he touches the ball. Due to that momentum he’s not considered in a positive position at that time. That’s why it was legal.”
Here’s the pool report on Brunson’s non-backcourt violation. Basically he established possession after he crossed the line, not before, because of his momentum. pic.twitter.com/zK0yiD20wD
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) April 25, 2025
The Pistons had one final gift when a clock malfunction with 0.5 seconds left sounded the buzzer early on a free throw gave the Pistons possession. However Jalen Duren’s inbound pass from in front of the team’s bench sailed aimlessly out of bounds over the head of Cunningham near midcourt.
“It doesn’t seem right to me,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’s unfortunate. That should never happen in a playoff game.”
The Pistons and Knicks resume their best-of-seven first-round series Sunday in Game 4 in Detroit (1 p.m., ABC).
“We won’t be deflated,” Bickerstaff said. “Our guys are too committed to one another. We’re not results-driven. We’ll show up Sunday and we’re gonna lay it on the line. We’re going to fight like hell and see what happens.”
Free Press sports writer Omari Sankofa II contributed.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Cade Cunningham, JB Bickerstaff confused by refs in Game 3 vs Knicks
