Game five of the Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers ended on a controversial no-call in regulation that feels all too familiar.
After making a game-saving defensive play, Ausar Thompson was tripped and fouled by Jarrett Allen while retrieving the ball, and even though the ref was standing right there, he didn’t have the guts to blow the whistle.
Thompson should have gone to the line for two free throws and a chance to win the game, but instead the Pistons went to overtime.
It was a similar result last season, when Tim Hardaway Jr. was fouled in the corner in the waning seconds of game four, which also ended in a no-call and a Pistons’ loss.
After that game, the refs admitted that they blew the call, which offered little solace to the Pistons, but they couldn’t even get that from the refs last night who claimed it was “incidental contact,” the same exact type of contact that was sending the Cavaliers to the line all night.
The Pistons didn’t lose because of the refs, as they still should have closed the game, but this play will be the focus of the series if the Pistons can’t pull off another miracle comeback.
The Pistons aren’t going to get bailed out by the refs
The Cavaliers have shot 100 combined free throws in the last three games, all wins for Cleveland, while the Pistons have shot 54. Whatever you believe is the reason for this disparity, it’s hard to overcome that kind of swing. The Cavs shot 18 more free throws than the Pistons last night in a game they won by four, so it would be completely illogical to say the refs had nothing to do with this game.
HOWEVER (and please read this bit before you come at me in the comments):
THE PISTONS CHOKED AWAY THE GAME.
Regardless of how bad the officiating was (and it was), the Pistons had a nine-point lead with just over two minutes left in the game, so they should have won, no excuses.
Detroit did exactly what I said they couldn’t do in game five, which is commit backbreaking, soul-crushing turnovers at the wrong time, which they did again last night with Cunningham practically handing the Cavs the ball in a gift-wrapped box.
If Detroit could have just made one shot during that last 2:30, they would have won the game, so the lousy officiating wasn’t the real culprit.
After coaching what I thought was a great game, coach JB Bickerstaff couldn’t come up with anything better than, “give it to Cade and move out of the way” for offense in the closing minutes, pointing to their need for a second scorer and creator.
It was a frustrating way to lose, and to be honest, I didn’t sleep much last night afterwards (game ended at 4:30AM here), but the Pistons have responded all season, and will need to do it again, or this run will officially be over.
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