Pistons not happy with free-throw disparity, but know they must play better

TL;DR

Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons expressed frustration over free-throw disparity in their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite the officiating issues, Cunningham emphasized the need for the team to improve their performance.

Key points

Cade Cunningham faced officiating challenges during the game.
Pistons experienced a free-throw disparity against the Cavaliers.
Cunningham emphasized the need for team improvement.
Frustration over officiating was acknowledged but not blamed for the loss.

Detroit PistonsCleveland CavaliersCade CunninghamDonovan Mitchell

Cleveland — Cade Cunningham quickly realized he and the Detroit Pistons faced two distinct challenges on Monday night.

One was against the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the other came from the officials.

The moment came early in the first quarter when he was "hit on the arm" while attacking downhill. Cunningham says he tried to plead his case to the officials, but no one would acknowledge him.

His most frustrating moment occurred at the end of the first half when he attempted a 3-pointer as time expired. However, Donovan Mitchell prevented Cunningham from getting a clear shot by making contact and seemingly grabbing his ankle while falling to the ground. He attempted to plead his case again, but once more, the officials disregarded him.

"We played two different games tonight," Cunningham said. "But that's a part of the game. We cannot allow that to get to us. Against the home team, you never know how it is going to be when you are on the road. That is not why we lost the game, but it definitely did not help."

Two key moments against Cunningham highlighted the lack of fouls called against the Pistons during their 112-103 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 4 at Rocket Arena. The Pistons accepted full responsibility for their subpar performance, recognizing their shortcomings contributed to their second consecutive defeat.

More: Niyo: Pistons can blame their own foul play in Cleveland for series tie

However, the significant discrepancies in foul calls and free-throw shooting certainly did not help their cause. By the time the Cavaliers left their home court, they had shot 30-of-34 from the free-throw line (88.2%), with Mitchell accounting for 15. In contrast, the Pistons finished the game with only 12 attempts, making nine (75%).

"It makes it difficult," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "It is interesting with the differences (in foul calls) on both sides of the ball. When tries to come off screens, given the number of hands on him, the whistles were not blown. But, again, we have to play better. We can be in our system and be physical in our system without fouling. We have to do a better job of being early to help. Early in position and showing our hands. All of those things, we need to do a better job of, and hopefully eliminate some of those things."

Q&A

What did Cade Cunningham say about the officiating in the game against the Cavaliers?

Cade Cunningham mentioned that he felt the officials did not acknowledge his pleas during the game, highlighting a disparity in free-throw calls.

How did the free-throw disparity affect the Pistons' game against the Cavaliers?

Cunningham noted that while the officiating was frustrating, it was not the sole reason for their loss, but it certainly impacted their performance.

What specific incidents did Cunningham reference regarding the officiating?

Cunningham referred to being hit on the arm while driving to the basket and not receiving a call, as well as being impeded during a last-second shot attempt.

What did Cunningham mean by 'we played two different games tonight'?

Cunningham suggested that the disparity in officiating made it feel like the Pistons faced different challenges compared to the Cavaliers, especially as the visiting team.