Game 5 is always huge in a tied series in the NBA Playoffs, and the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers both knew the stakes entering their pivotal Wednesday night showdown. A high-pressure atmosphere in Detroit produced arguably the best game of the series so far, with Cleveland outlasting Detroit, 117-113, in overtime to put the Cavs one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals.
Should the game have even gone into overtime? The final sequence of regulation was the main talking point after the buzzer. Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell held the ball for the last shot, but he stripped on his drive in a spectacular defensive play by Pistons wing Ausar Thompson. As Thompson ran to recover the loose ball, he was knocked over by Jarrett Allen. Detroit was in the bonus, and Thompson would have been going to the line for the game-winning free throws if the refs blew the whistle. Instead, there was no call, and the Cavs won in OT.
Should this have been a foul? Watch the play yourself:
Here’s another look at the play:
Pistons fans were losing it on social media over the no call. The team also partially blamed the no call for the loss after the game.
Detroit head coach JB Bickerstaff ripped the refs after the game. “He fouled Ausar. It was clear. He tripped him going for a loose ball.”
Cade Cunningham agreed with his coach after the game that Thompson was fouled:
Even unbiased media members like ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said it was a foul. I’m sorry, but I can’t agree.
Should a playoff series really swing on a foul 70-feet away from the basket? I don’t think so. This was an example of two guys going for a loose ball. Just because one of them fell over doesn’t mean it’s a foul. It also easily could have been a flop by Thompson. He wouldn’t have had enough time to get off a game-winning shot either way. There was less than a second left on the clock. The only chance he had of winning the game in that situation was falling to the ground and praying for a foul call. It’s good for the game that he didn’t get it.
The Pistons still had a chance to win in overtime, and they blew it. If we’re being honest, the Pistons are extremely lucky to even be here. They were down 3-1 to the Orlando Magic in the first round when Franz Wagner got hurt. If Wagner stays healthy, the Pistons likely would have lost in the first round as the No. 1 seed.
Of course, there were also some bad calls that went against the Pistons throughout the game. How the heck is this a defensive foul?
It doesn’t change the fact that the refs made the right call by not letting a Game 5 be decided because someone fell over going for a loose ball 70-feet from the hoop. The players should decide the game, not the refs. It happened in Game 5, and Cleveland won in OT.
Detroit has to win a road game now to keep its season alive and force a Game 7. Here’s hoping we get it.
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