DALLAS — The Detroit Pistons had several major fouls called against them in what ended up being a [116-114 overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2025/12/pistons-erase-4th-quarter-deficit-drop-overtime-thriller-to-mavericks.html) Thursday night in Dallas.
The Pistons were assessed three technical fouls and forward Ausar Thompson was ejected from the game by the referees.
After the game, crew chief John Goble explained the referee’s thinking behind two of the key moments — both going against the Pistons — in a pool report released shortly after the conclusion of overtime.
The first was on Thompson’s ejection, which took place in the second quarter with 5:09 remaining.
Thompson got in a physical back-and-forth with Dallas’ Ryan Nembhard going for a rebound and was called for a foul. When going to argue the call with Goble, it [appears he makes light contact with Goble’s arm](https://x.com/JacobHRichman/status/2001843644861645076?s=20).
Thompson immediately received a technical foul and was ejected “for aggressively approaching and making contact with the official” Goble later said.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was adamant after the game that Goble stepped toward Thompson and initiated the contact.
And Bickerstaff was the subject of the other part of the pool report, addressing a technical foul he was assessed just before teams went into their locker rooms halftime.
It appeared to stem from guard Cade Cunningham’s own technical foul, also assessed in the second quarter, where he argued a call with the referees.
As teams were heading back to the locker room, it appeared Cunningham continued speaking with the referees and Bickerstaff claimed he was just trying to get him off the court before being given his own technical.
Goble said the technical was assessed for “continuous complaining” by Bickerstaff.
“I don’t say anything to him. I go and grab Cade to get Cade off the floor, he gives me a technical foul,” Bickerstaff said. “That’s my job to get my player away from the referee, to get us back to halftime so we can have the conversations we need to have.”
Bickerstaff expressed a lot of displeasure with the officiating on the night and said Goble came into the game “not being objective” after making a comment earlier in the game about previous interactions they’ve had.
The Pistons were called for 27 fouls during the game to Dallas’ 21, with the Mavericks taking 36 foul shots to Detroit’s 20.