At the Detroit Pistons’ media day, JB Bickerstaff was asked about an area he needed to improve, and he immediately talked about his interactions with the officials.
He admitted that he needs to get fewer technical fouls, something that was a huge problem for the Pistons, who led the NBA in technical fouls per game last season.
Not only did JB pick up plenty of them himself, but the Pistons also had several players who were among the league leaders. Isaiah Stewart was 6th overall last season with 15 technical fouls, which is nuts considering he’s a bench player who was only getting 20 minutes per game.
Cade Cunningham (10), Malik Beasley (9) and Dennis Schroder (8) were also among the top 15 in the league in terms of Ts.
We all know there is a time and place to get a technical foul, especially for a coach, as it can light a fire under a team if done the right way at the right time.
But technical fouls can also be huge momentum shifters, especially on the road, as the other team is not only awarded a free throw but also gets the ball, so it can represent a 3–4-point swing and be the difference in the game.
We’ve also seen technical fouls wreck rallies, as it slows down the game and gives the other team a free point.
It’s something the Pistons are unfortunately going to have to deal with unless they change their attitude.
The Detroit Pistons complain about fouls way too much
There are certain types of technicals you don’t mind from players. Sometimes a hard foul is necessary and sometimes you want your guys to stick up for each other, which can lead to techs.
But the Pistons also do a TON of complaining to the referees, which I am sure gets annoying, and these are the technicals they need to cut out. Coach Bickerstaff needs to point out bad calls without blowing up, as coaches that are constantly yelling at the refs aren’t as effective or heard as ones that pick their spots.
Same with the players, who can’t turn around and make gestures every time they think they got fouled (which is every play) but instead can take it up calmly with the ref during a dead ball, which is easier said than done.
Referees are human too, so are going to react to how people speak to them, and we all know there are words that are almost automatic technical fouls. Teams that communicate effectively with the refs get more calls, and the Pistons have to be better about this communication, starting with coach Bickerstaff.