The Detroit Pistons completed a 3-1 series comeback with a 116-94 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 7 on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons secured that victory despite an officiating decision that the ESPN on ABC broadcast team and Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff couldn’t believe.
With Detroit leading 38-35 in the second quarter, the Pistons’ Paul Reed was called for a shooting foul on a layup try from Orlando’s Anthony Black. Bickerstaff challenged the call.
“I think he might win that challenge,” ESPN on ABC play-by-play announcer Mike Breen said after the initial replay was shown.
However, NBA referee Tony Brothers announced that the call stood after replay review. Black would go on to make both free throws.
J.B. Bickerstaff decides to challenge the foul call on Paul Reed, but it was not successful (with replays).
The reason: The defender (Reed) turns in mid-air and hits Anthony Black in the back. pic.twitter.com/u3jzI1bJBg
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) May 3, 2026
The ESPN on ABC crew of Breen, Tim Legler, and Richard Jefferson voiced their disagreement with the ruling.
ESPN announcers sound off on the officials in Magic-Pistons:
Tim Legler: “That’s the least amount of contact you’re gonna see on a layup attempt in the playoffs.”
RJ: “That’s is not basketball, let alone NBA basketball. By the letter of the law his body did touch his jersey…… pic.twitter.com/4794M2aLDb
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) May 3, 2026
“Boy, there is not a lot of contact there,” Breen said. “Certainly, there’s some. But they said the defender turned and made the contact, and that’s why Anthony Black is going to shoot two free throws.”
“That’s the least amount of contact you’re going to see on a layup attempt in the playoffs, and particularly, [Jefferson], in this series, with what we’ve seen when guys attack the rim,” Legler said.
“That is not playoff basketball, let alone NBA basketball,” Jefferson said. “Now, look, there was contact. By the letter of the law, his body did touch his jersey. And that’s really the only contact that you’ve got that.”
“But if you’re going to call that, and that’s what every player, every coach wants; if you’re going to call that contact, that means you have to call that contact for the rest of the game,” Jefferson continued. “And that means there would be 100 free throws shot.”
“And it would be a five-hour game, the way these two teams play physical defense,” Breen added.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.