NBA officials correctly chose not to make a call at the end of Pistons-Cavs Game 5

Game 5 Showdown: Cavaliers Edge Out Pistons in Overtime

Game 5 is a pivotal moment in any tied NBA playoff series, and on Wednesday night, both the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers understood just how high the stakes were. The atmosphere in Detroit brought an intense energy, leading to what many might argue is the best game of the series. In a nail-biter, the Cavaliers topped the Pistons 117-113 in overtime, putting Cleveland just one victory away from the Eastern Conference Finals.

After the buzzer, a significant point of discussion emerged: should the game have gone into overtime at all? The crescendo of the final regulation sequence involved Donovan Mitchell from the Cavaliers. He held on to the ball for the last shot, yet a fantastic defensive play from Pistons’ player Author Thompson disrupted his drive. As Thompson chased after the loose ball, he was brought down by Jarrett Allen. Detroit was in the bonus—if the refs had called a foul, Thompson would have had the chance to hit a game-clinching free throw. Instead, the game proceeded to overtime without a whistle, allowing the Cavs to claim victory.

Was it a foul? Well, you can check out the play for yourself and decide.

Later, discussions swirled online among Pistons fans, many expressing their frustration over the no-call. The team also voiced their belief that the lack of a whistle played a part in their loss.

After the game, Pistons’ head coach JB Bickerstaff sharply criticized the officiating. “He fouled Ausar, it was clear. He went for the loose ball and tripped him,” he said.

Cade Cunningham, a key player for Detroit, echoed the coach’s sentiments, agreeing that Thompson was indeed fouled.

But do we really need to call a foul 70 feet away from the basket in a playoff context? I think not. It felt like two players were just going for a loose ball. Just because one goes down, it doesn’t necessarily mean a foul occurred. Frankly, it could have ended up worse for Thompson, who had less than a second to attempt a shot. His best hope in that moment was probably to fall and hope for a call, which might not have benefited the flow of the game.

In the end, the Pistons did get another shot at victory in overtime, but they let it slip away. To be honest, they might consider themselves lucky to still be in this position. They initially lost 3-1 to the Orlando Magic in the first round when Franz Wagner got injured. Had Wagner remained healthy, it’s likely the Pistons wouldn’t have made it this far.

Sure, there were some questionable calls during the game, raising questions about defensive fouls.

Nonetheless, the referee’s choice to let things play out without intervening during that crucial moment was justified. Ultimately, it’s the players who determine the outcome of the game, not the officiating crew. This was evident in Game 5, which the Cavaliers won in overtime.