Mon Mar 17 00:20:00 UTC 2025: **Pistons Coach Bickerstaff Blasts Officials After Loss to Thunder**
DETROIT – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 48-point performance led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 113-107 victory over the Detroit Pistons Saturday night, but the game was overshadowed by a controversial officiating display that left Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff fuming.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s dominant scoring, complemented by Cason Wallace’s 20 points, propelled the Thunder to their ninth win in ten games. The Pistons, meanwhile, struggled with foul trouble and saw their star player, Cade Cunningham, ejected late in the third quarter after accumulating two technical fouls during a heated exchange with the referees. Cunningham finished with a season-low 11 points.
The Pistons’ frustration boiled over in the third quarter, resulting in five technical fouls called against them, including three during a single contentious sequence. These technicals ultimately awarded the Thunder four points, extending their lead and contributing to the Pistons’ defeat. Tobias Harris led Detroit with 18 points, and Dennis Schroder added 17 points and 11 assists in Cunningham’s absence. Despite shooting 50% from three-point range in the first half, the Pistons ultimately fell short.
Coach Bickerstaff, visibly upset after the game, voiced his strong disapproval of the officiating, although specific comments were not detailed in the AP report. The loss comes after a moment of silence was held before the game to honor former Piston and successful businessman Junior Bridgeman, who passed away earlier in the week.
The Thunder, who saw Luguentz Dort leave the game with an injury in the third quarter, play in Milwaukee on Sunday. The Pistons travel to New Orleans for their next game on Monday.
First Piper 