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CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 09: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons battle for position during the first quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 09, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Detroit Pistons had the Cleveland Cavaliers right where they wanted them in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
If we look at the game, they led for most of the night, played tough defense, and were one stop away from going up 3-2. But things didn’t go as they wanted.
Cleveland was down late and put together a 9-0 run to tie it up. With the score at 103 and the shot clock off, Ausar Thompson stripped Donovan Mitchell and dove for the loose ball. His feet tangled with Jarrett Allen’s, Thompson hit the floor, and the buzzer sounded.
No whistle. The game went to overtime, and the Cavaliers won 117-113 to take a 3-2 series lead.
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff did not hold back postgame. In a clip shared by @UnderdogNBA on X, he laid it out plain:
“[Jarrett Allen] fouled Ausar. It’s clear. He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball.”
Tony Brothers Explains Why No Foul Was Called on Ausar Thompson
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell reacts during a game.(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
GettyGame Official Reacts to Viral Cavs-Pistons Controversial Ending
Referee Tony Brothers, the crew chief for Game 5, spoke to the media through a pool report. He said the contact did not meet the standard for a foul call.
“During live play, both players were going for the ball and there was incidental contact with the legs with no player having possession of the ball,” Brothers told reporters, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.
When asked if it was a foul, Brothers was direct. “No. There was incidental contact on the play. The play will be reviewed by the league office tomorrow and it will be posted in the Last Two Minute Report.”
The league’s Last Two Minute Report grades calls and non-calls in the final two minutes of close games. Whether the play gets flagged as a missed call is still to be seen.
What It Meant for Detroit and What Happens Next
NBA Referee Sends Clear Message After Cavs-Pistons Controversy
GettyNBA Referee Sends Clear Message After Cavs-Pistons Controversy
If a foul was called on Thompson, he would have stood on the foul line to shoot two free throws as the Cavaliers were already in the bonus. A successful shot at the free throw line would have led to Detroit taking the lead with less than two seconds on the clock. But, the Pistons didn’t even get the chance.
Cleveland came out in overtime and ran a 13-0 run that put the game away. The Cavaliers went ahead by seven with 2:39 left in OT on a Mitchell three-pointer, and Cunningham’s late jumper could only cut it to two before James Harden iced it from the line.
This series now turns around, coming back to Cleveland for Game 6, as Detroit will be on the brink of elimination. It doesn’t really matter if the Last Two Minute Report agrees with Bickerstaff or Brothers, the Pistons must win on the road just to stay alive. If they don’t, the no-call controversy will be the hot topic throughout the offseason.