JB Bickerstaff fires back at Donovan Mitchell’s flopping comments

Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons took down Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of their second round playoff series. The series is just getting started, but the messaging through the media has already begun.

Donovan Mitchell was asked about his lack of free throw attempts through the first eight games of the NBA playoffs, and didn’t hold back.

“I want to separate this from the game,” Mitchell explained. “The [35-16] free throw disparity is not why we lost tonight. I want to make sure I say that. But I don’t know. I’m trying to get downhill. A friend of mine got fined for talking about flopping, so I’m not gonna try to double down, but I mean, I feel like that’s what I got to do at this point, you know what I mean? Like I’m trying to get downhill trying to get to the bucket and sometimes, there’s people in my way, and I’m trying to fight through contact. And I’m not getting these calls.”

“You said I had 16 in the last series? I mean I’m just not getting the calls. I don’t know why. I don’t flop, maybe that’s why. But it isn’t just a tonight thing. This has been the entire series, and it’s frustrating a little bit because I’m such a dynamic driver right like, but I can’t control that. So if I’m they’re not going to call for it for me, I gotta find a way to finish through that. You know me, I’m never one to sit here and complain. That’s not why we lost the game tonight or whatever, but at some point in time, I feel like me getting to the basket has got to relate to something. So we’ll see.”

Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff was asked about the comments during Wednesday’s morning shoot around at their practice facility, and he was also honest.

“I mean, Donovan’s very intelligent,” Bickerstaff said. “And it’s all messaging. We understand that. Our messaging is that flopping is a violation.”