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JB Bickerstaff wrongly called out for big mistake on challenge

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Apr 27, 2025 5:06 PM ET

Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff was blamed for a major mistake that seemed to have cost his team down the stretch in Sunday’s loss. However, that blame may have been misplaced.

The Pistons lost to the New York Knicks 94-93 in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first round series at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mi. on Sunday. A major talking point emerged at the final buzzer, as the Knicks were not called for a shooting foul despite apparent contact on Tim Hardaway Jr. (video here). Bickerstaff and the Pistons were visibly furious about the no-call, and they appeared to have a point.

The Pistons did not have a challenge remaining at that point. That was because Bickerstaff used his coach’s challenge on an insignificant out of bounds call 5:08 into the first quarter. The Pistons lost that challenge, leaving them without one for virtually the entire game.

Pistons challenging out of bounds call — and replay looks like it is off Cade. Seems like an odd challenge 5:08 in when you could be done for the game on this (unless they call a foul on Knicks)
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) April 27, 2025

At the end of the game, many were quick to argue that Bickerstaff cost his team by not having his challenge available.

I’ll bet Bickerstaff wishes he hadn’t wasted that ridiculous challenge in the first quarter when thee score was 10-8.
— Mike Vaccaro (@MikeVacc) April 27, 2025

Shoutout to JB Bickerstaff for using his challenge on a loose ball in the 1st quarter.
— Locked On Knicks (@LockedOnKnicks) April 27, 2025

That blame was not quite right, however. Bickerstaff could not have challenged the Hardaway Jr. play even if he still had his challenge available. NBA rules state that coaches cannot challenge when no call is made, and since no foul was called on the Hardaway Jr. shot attempt, Bickerstaff would not have been allowed to challenge it anyway.

For those wondering why no review of the last play of Pistons-Knicks, not only did Detroit not have a challenge, but it couldn't have challenged the call anyway — since there was no call made to challenge.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) April 27, 2025

Bickerstaff’s original challenge was definitely ill-advised. Replays indicated quickly that the call was correct, and even if it wasn’t, the wisdom of using a challenge that early in the game on a rather insignificant play was highly questionable, to say the least. That challenge may have come in handy at other points later in the game, but it would not have saved Bickerstaff and the Pistons on the controversial final play.

Bickerstaff and the Pistons have been frustrated with how they are officiated at various points during the season. They will probably lean into that narrative even more now after how this one ended.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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