Looking back at everything that transpired throughout the 2024-2025 NBA Playoffs, it would be difficult to find a reason to be frustrated with Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff.
Following the Pistons’ Game 6 loss against the New York Knicks, NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor called out the head coach for a specific decision Bickerstaff made down the stretch of what became Detroit’s final game.
Bickerstaff pulled Ausar Thompson off the court with a little under four minutes left. The defensive standout’s presence on that end of the floor was quickly missed. The Pistons lost their momentum, saw the Knicks cut down the Pistons’ small lead to almost nothing, and forced Bickstaff to go back to Thompson anyway.
Sometimes, changes are corrected just a little too late.
via @KevinOConnorNBA: I know Brunson fried Ausar Thompson to win the game. But I’m still baffled why JB Bickerstaff subbed out Ausar with 3:50 left. Thompson changed the whole game when he subbed in at 9:30. Pistons were DOWN 11 when he came in and UP 5 when he came out. Awful decision to bench him.
I know Brunson fried Ausar Thompson to win the game. But I’m still baffled why JB Bickerstaff subbed out Ausar with 3:50 left. Thompson changed the whole game when he subbed in at 9:30. Pistons were DOWN 11 when he came in and UP 5 when he came out. Awful decision to bench him.
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) May 2, 2025
NBA fans on social media speculated that perhaps Thompson needed a breather, resulting in the change. When the second-year wing was asked about getting taken out when he did, there wasn’t a definitive reason. Like everybody else, Thompson was guessing.
“It was probably schematic, you know?” Thompson told reporters after the game. “We have full faith in every person who comes into the game. Subbing me out doesn’t mean anything to us.”
#Pistons Ausar Thompson talks about being subbed out for Dennis Schroder late in the game. He shared it was schematic and that the team has faith in anyone who steps on the floor.
Everyone that spoke post game had great things to say about J.B. Bickerstaff’s job this season. pic.twitter.com/FSZdt6BiCA
— Kory Woods (@KoryEWoods) May 2, 2025
Schroder was brought in, giving Detroit more of an offensive look. As well as Schroder played throughout the playoffs, he wasn’t effective as a scorer in the second half of Game 6. With 15 minutes of playing time, Schroder went 0-3 from the field. Meanwhile, Thompson had the hot hand on offense, leading the Pistons in second-half scoring with 13 points in nearly 14 minutes.
Bickerstaff’s crunch time decision was a head-scratcher, and should go down as a key reason why they fumbled the fourth quarter of their second elimination game against the Knicks, but it’s just one of multiple concerns. Closing out on top was an issue for this young Pistons team all series long. The Knicks’ experience simply outweighed them in the end.
