Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff took exception to a referee touching him during Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Late in the first quarter of the contest at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa., the broadcast caught Bickerstaff swatting away a referee’s hand after the official placed his right hand on the coach’s chest.
Here is a video of that moment.
Anybody else catch this interaction with JB Bickerstaff and the ref 😭😭 https://t.co/eWIeSngaPY
— Andre Monroe (@DreMonroe0) October 26, 2026
It was not clear from the video whether Bickerstaff was genuinely annoyed by the ref’s gesture or was just messing with the official.
Either way, it was an interesting moment in the intriguing matchup between Eastern Conference title contenders.
The Pistons ended up beating LeBron James and the Sixers, 106-93, as Bickerstaff and his team improved to 3-0. Cade Cunningham led the way for Detroit with 26 points along with eight assists and eight rebounds, while Duncan Robinson provided 21 points.
Detroit is on a roll to start the 2026-27 NBA season, taking down notable teams early in the campaign. Before upending Philadelphia, the Pistons took down the Boston Celtics in the season opener, 121-133, and the Miami Heat on the road, 128-111.
Detroit will put its undefeated record on the line again Tuesday against the reigning NBA champions New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y.
