Not even 24 hours after Aaron Gordon’s controversial game-winning dunk sealed the Nuggets' series over the Clippers, the ending of Game 4 between the Knicks and Pistons delivered even more confusion — and a lot more chaos.
Down 94–93 with 11 seconds left, Cade Cunningham’s missed foul-line jumper triggered a frantic scramble. Tim Hardaway Jr. corralled the loose ball in the corner and launched a desperation three, trying to initiate contact on Josh Hart.
The shot missed.
The whistle stayed silent.
And the Knicks escaped, sealing one of the most dramatic wins of the postseason.
Needless to say, Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff was furious, storming the court to berate the officials while the Knicks celebrated overcoming a four-point deficit in the final two minutes.
After the game, referees admitted there was marginal contact on Hardaway’s attempt. It didn’t matter. The result was final. The optics? Terrible for the NBA. But let’s be clear: there's only one person to blame for how this game ended — JB Bickerstaff.
The challenge problem that won't go away
Bickerstaff’s track record with challenges in the postseason has been disastrous.
Not even five minutes into Game 4, he burned Detroit’s lone challenge on an out-of-bounds call involving Cade Cunningham. It was risky, unnecessary and unsuccessful. Detroit lost the ball, the timeout — and their only chance to overturn any call later in the game.
Sound familiar? It should.
In Game 3, Bickerstaff lost his challenge early again — this time failing to contest a possible double-dribble by Jalen Brunson in the final minutes that could have flipped the outcome.
Two games. Two critical late-game scenarios. Two missed opportunities to challenge. All because Detroit couldn’t stay composed. The Pistons didn’t lose this series (yet) because of officiating. They lost control of the games themselves.
Playing aggressively is supposed to set the tone. But when that aggression consistently leads to early foul trouble — among both young players and veterans — you’re forced to rely on a thin bench that’s just not built for playoff battles.
Detroit’s chaos is self-inflicted. Their inability to adjust has been exposed at the worst possible time.
Now, the Pistons must walk into a sold-out Madison Square Garden and try to keep their season alive. History isn’t on their side; only a handful of teams have ever come back from a 3–1 deficit.
The real question isn’t whether Detroit can shock the Knicks. It’s whether JB Bickerstaff can save his own fate before it’s sealed, too.