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Pistons' J.B. Bickerstaff claims whistles changed since series moved to Cleveland
TL;DR
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff criticized officiating after a Game 4 loss to the Cavaliers, claiming the whistle changed since the series moved to Cleveland. The series is now tied 2-2 after Detroit's initial 2-0 lead.
Key points
- Pistons lost Game 4 to Cavaliers 112-103
- Series tied 2-2 after Pistons led 2-0
- Bickerstaff criticized officiating after the game
Mentioned in this story
J.B. Bickerstaff
Detroit PistonsCleveland Cavaliers
Pistons' J.B. Bickerstaff claims whistles changed since series moved to Cleveland originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Something clearly boiled over in Cleveland on Monday night. The Detroit Pistons dropped Game 4 to the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-103, with the series now level at 2-2 after Detroit had built a 2-0 series lead at home. The loss itself was bad enough. But what followed in the postgame presser carried a different kind of weight.
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff did not hold back after the game:
"It's unacceptable, it is. We didn't do enough, honestly, to help ourselves, and I'll start there. But ever since we came to Cleveland, the whistle has changed. There's no way that one guy on their team shoots more free throws than our team."
That was Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell, who went 15-for-15 from the free-throw line after a second-half explosion that shook the game.
The Cavaliers shot 34 free throws in Game 4 compared to just 12 for the Pistons as a team. Mitchell scored 43 points, including 39 in the second half, matching the for points in a single half, originally set by Eric "Sleepy" Floyd in 1987.
Q&A
What did J.B. Bickerstaff say about officiating in Game 4?
J.B. Bickerstaff claimed that the officiating changed since the series moved to Cleveland, stating it's unacceptable that one player on the Cavaliers shot more free throws than the entire Pistons team.
What was the outcome of the Pistons vs. Cavaliers Game 4?
The Pistons lost Game 4 to the Cavaliers 112-103, resulting in the series being tied 2-2 after Detroit initially led 2-0.
How has the series between the Pistons and Cavaliers progressed?
The series started with the Pistons leading 2-0, but after losing Game 4, it is now tied at 2-2.