DETROI – Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said a non-call on a late loose-ball play involving Ausar Thompson and Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen was “clear” and came at a pivotal moment in the Pistons’ 117-113 Game 5 loss to the Cavaliers Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Detroit led by nine points with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before Cleveland surged back to complete the comeback and push the Pistons to the brink of elimination in the series.
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The late-game sequence that drew the most attention came when Thompson was tied up with Allen on a loose-ball play and went to the floor.
Bickerstaff said he believed Allen tripped Thompson on the play.
“I mean, that’s clear,” Bickerstaff said. “He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball in a game situation. That’s tough.”
No foul was called, and Cleveland maintained possession during the critical stretch as it completed the comeback.
Tempo shift, Cavaliers’ adjustments swing momentum
Bickerstaff also addressed the shift in Detroit’s offensive approach late in regulation, pushing back slightly on the idea that his team simply slowed down.
“I didn’t feel like we slowed our tempo down,” Bickerstaff said. “We started playing in the half-court. We had success when we got out in transition.”
Bickerstaff credited Cleveland’s defensive adjustments for helping swing the game, particularly its strategy of taking the ball out of Cade Cunningham‘s hands and forcing Detroit into secondary options.
“They started doubling and getting the ball out of Cade’s hands,” Bickerstaff said. “We know where to go when that happens. We’ve got to continue to get to those spots and play with pace.”
Reed provides spark off bench
Despite the collapse, Bickerstaff pointed to several positives, including Paul Reed’s play, who entered the game in the fourth quarter and remained on the floor for the remainder of regulation.
“I thought P. Reed gives us that spark,” Bickerstaff said. “He’s always ready when the moment calls for it. He’s a run stopper for us.”
Reed’s presence helped stabilize Detroit briefly during Cleveland’s run, but the Cavaliers continued to chip away at the deficit, aided by defensive pressure and timely scoring.
Bickerstaff also acknowledged the contributions of several players who were not part of the team’s earlier rotation.
“Our guys compete at a high level,” Bickerstaff said. “We’ve got guys who can contribute on any given night. Tonight we had to call on them, and I thought they responded.”
‘You’re going to have to choke the life out of this team’
With the loss leaving Detroit facing a 3-2 series deficit, Bickerstaff said the message to his team centers on resilience.
“You’re going to have to choke the life out of this team,” Bickerstaff said. “We’re not going down without a fight. We’re not going down without kicking, punching, clawing.”
Bickerstaff added that Detroit has faced adversity before and expects his group to respond.
“We’ve been in this position,” Bickerstaff said. “And I expect our guys to be ready mentally and go compete at a high level.”
The Pistons will travel to Cleveland for Game 6, needing a win to force a Game 7 in the best-of-seven series.
--> Detroit Pistons lose grip on series after crushing late-game collapse vs. Cleveland