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JB Bickerstaff calls out officials after Donovan Mitchell free throw disparity
The Detroit Pistons left Cleveland frustrated Monday night after a 112-103 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, and head coach JB Bickerstaff made his feelings clear afterward.
Detroit saw the best-of-seven series evened at 2-2 after Cleveland erased a four-point halftime deficit with a historic 24-0 run in the third quarter. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 43 points, including 39 in the second half, while Cleveland also finished with a significant edge at the free-throw line.
Mitchell attempted 15 free throws by himself, while the entire Pistons roster attempted only 12. Following the game, Bickerstaff openly questioned the officiating and pointed to what he believed was a major shift in whistles since the series moved to Cleveland.
GettyDetroit Pistons Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff
Bickerstaff acknowledged Detroit did not play well enough to win but said the free-throw disparity was difficult to ignore.
“It’s unacceptable. It is,” Bickerstaff said after the game. “We didn’t do enough, obviously, to help ourselves, and I’ll start there.”
The Pistons attempted only 12 free throws compared to Cleveland’s 34. Detroit also committed 18 turnovers, several of which fueled Cleveland’s decisive third-quarter surge.
Still, Bickerstaff focused much of his postgame comments on the officiating.
“There’s no way that one guy on their team shoots more free throws than our team,” Bickerstaff said. “We’re not a settled team. We’re not a jump shooting team. We drive the ball, attack the paint.”
J.B. Bickerstaff’s full answer on free throw disparity in Game 4. #Cavs shot 34, Pistons had 12. Bickerstaff says it’s “unacceptable” but that they can’t let it be a reason they lose. He also said the whistle has shifted since Kenny Atkinson’s comments:
Bickerstaff also referenced earlier public comments made by Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson during the series.
“It’s interesting since Kenny made his comments publicly about us, the whistles changed in this series,” Bickerstaff said.
Detroit held a 56-52 lead at halftime before Cleveland dominated the opening minutes of the third quarter. The Cavaliers scored 24 consecutive points spanning the end of the second quarter into the third, marking the longest uninterrupted scoring run in NBA postseason history, according to NBA Stats.
Mitchell scored 21 points in the third quarter alone and tied an NBA playoff record with 39 second-half points. The Cavaliers star finished 15-for-15 from the free-throw line.
GettyCleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell
Cleveland’s comeback flipped the momentum of the series heading into Game 5 in Detroit.
Mitchell’s 43-point performance helped erase a sluggish first half in which he scored only four points before halftime. He later matched the postseason record for second-half scoring originally set by Eric “Sleepy” Floyd in 1987.
The Cavaliers also received strong contributions from Evan Mobley, who finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists, five blocks, and three steals.
Detroit struggled to recover after Cleveland’s third-quarter run despite strong performances from Caris LeVert and Paul Reed.
LeVert scored a season-high 24 points and helped spark a first-half Pistons rally after Detroit fell behind 16-5 early. Reed added 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting in limited minutes and provided energy off the bench during the third quarter.
Cade Cunningham finished with 19 points but committed five turnovers. Tobias Harris scored 16 points but went scoreless from the field in the second half after helping Detroit build its halftime lead.
The Pistons also struggled to contain Cleveland defensively after halftime. The Cavaliers shot efficiently during the decisive run and converted Detroit turnovers into transition opportunities.
Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The Pistons won the first two games at home earlier in the series, while Cleveland remains undefeated at home during the postseason.
Despite the loss, Bickerstaff emphasized that Detroit still has an opportunity to regain control of the series if the team responds better in Game 5.
But his frustration with Monday’s officiating was impossible to miss after one of the most dramatic momentum swings of the NBA playoffs so far.
Debayan Biswas is a sports writer covering the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He focuses on breaking news, trades, and player stories. His work has been featured by Athlon Sports and Pro Football and Sports Network, with republication across platforms including Yahoo Sports and Yardbarker. More about Debayan Biswas
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