Mike Breen ripped Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff for constant whining: ‘It’s nonstop’

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff has developed quite a reputation as a complainer.

Throughout the first-round series against the Knicks, Bickerstaff whined to referees about calls and it even shocked legendary commentator Mike Breen while he called Game 6 for MSG,

“I’ve been doing this over 30 years,” Breen said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a coach argue this much, nonstop from the opening tip ’til now. If you talk to the players, Clyde (Frazier), they’ll tell you this is part of why they love this guy. They say, ‘He’s a dog, like the players. He’s fighting for it like the players.’

“But there comes a point where (referee) Tony Brothers is gonna say, ‘Another technical and you’re gone.’ It’s nonstop. It’s continuous.”

That whining toward the referees wasn’t limited to just during the games, as Bickerstaff continued this outspoken nature after games too, despite the fact that the Pistons exited the playoffs while averaging the most free throw shots per game with 27.8.

Detroit, whose season ended on a game-winning 3-pointer by Jalen Brunson in the final seconds in the Knicks’ 116-113 victory, shot 33 free throws in the game.

Bickerstaff was seen yelling in referee Tony Brothers’ ear throughout Game 6, which obviously left a negative impression on Breen.

“J. B. Bickerstaff just will not stop,” Breen said of Bickerstaff, who had to be held back his own players from yelling at the referees to avoid technical fouls.

He wasn’t entirely successful, though, receiving a technical violation in the second quarter that resulted in a successful free throw from Brunson that gave the Knicks a 45-36 edge.

Attempting to wok over the referee in hope of getting additional calls is something all coaches do at some level, but it’s hard to argue that Bickerstaff isn’t among the main culprits of foul grifting.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau countered that the Knicks, who get accused of foul-grifting with their star guard Brunson among the league leaders in free throw attempts per game during the regular season, had been at a massive disadvantage in free throw attempts this series.

“Obviously, huge discrepancy in free throws. Huge. I gotta take a look at that, alright?” Thibodeau said after Game 2. “So … I don’t understand how on one side you talk about direct line drives, the guys get fouled and it’s not being called, right? And look, I really don’t give a crap how they call the game as long as it’s consistent on both sides. So [Cade] Cunningham’s driving and there’s marginal contact and he’s getting to the line. Then Jalen [Brunson] deserves to be getting to the line, it’s really that simple.”

Pistons center Jalen Duren also called Brunson a “flopping motherf–ker” during Game 5.

Breen also provided another memorable sound clip during the game when he unleashed his rare double “bang” following Brunson’s heroic shot.

The Knicks’ series win has the team prepared for a battle with the Boston Celtics in Round 2, where the Knicks are massive -700 underdogs in the round.