James Harden put on a show. 50 points, a shooting clinic, and a clutch performance that kept the Clippers in the playoff race. On paper, it was a night to remember. But if you ask the Detroit Pistons, the real story wasn’t Harden’s scoring—it was how he got there.

After the final buzzer, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and star guard Cade Cunningham had plenty to say about Harden’s performance. And while they didn’t outright discredit his greatness, their words carried an undeniable edge. Was it respect? Frustration? Or a little bit of both?

Coach Williams didn’t hold back in his postgame comments, pointing out Harden’s 20 free-throw attempts as the deciding factor. Cunningham? He backed up his coach, subtly suggesting that experience and referee respect played a bigger role than just skill. So, was this a genuine acknowledgment of Harden’s greatness, or was the Pistons’ camp throwing shade at the Clippers’ win?

When asked about defending Harden, Bickerstaff started with a seemingly respectful answer but quickly shifted to frustration over officiating.

“Give him a ton of credit. But if you’re not allowed to put your body on him legally, and he gets allowed to shoot 20 free throws, you’re not going to be able to guard him. You know what I mean?”

That’s not exactly the kind of praise Harden would want to frame on his wall. Bickerstaff acknowledged Harden as an “elite offensive weapon” but made it clear that officiating made his job much easier. It wasn’t about how great Harden was—it was about how hard it was to stop him when the refs kept sending him to the line.

To be fair, Harden’s ability to draw fouls has been a polarizing discussion throughout his career. His knack for selling contact has frustrated opponents for years, with his career-high 24 free throw attempts in a single game (set in 2019) standing as proof. But is it just skill, or is it a loophole he exploits? Bickerstaff’s comments suggest the latter.

Cade Cunningham subtly throws shade on James Harden

Cunningham wasn’t as direct as his coach, but his comments had an undeniable undertone. When asked about the difference in free throw attempts between him (6) and Harden (20), he pointed to Harden’s veteran status.

“It’s hard for me to respect getting hit and not getting a call But Everybody sees that I mean they see other calls they don’t see mine.” Translation? Harden gets the whistle, but I don’t.

Cunningham kept it professional, but his words hinted at the frustration younger players often feel when star veterans seem to get favorable treatment. Even though he put up 37 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists, he clearly felt like the game’s outcome wasn’t just about basketball skill.

He did, however, show love to James Harden’s scoring ability, calling him “He led the team to a win. I Think there were times we made him uncomfortable, but it’s a it’s a full team effort. It takes all five guys on the court And it takes consistency with the game plan to keep him out of the lane.”

Lost in the drama was the fact that Harden did put on a masterclass. He shot 14-of-24 from the field, hit six threes, and willed a short-handed Clippers squad to a crucial 123-115 victory. If they had lost, they would have dropped to ninth place in the Western Conference. Instead, they held on to eighth, keeping their playoff push alive.

But for the Pistons, this game wasn’t just about winning or losing—it was about the how. Their coach and star player both felt like officiating played a major role, and whether they meant to or not, their postgame comments subtly discredited the Clippers’ win.

Harden might have had a historic night, but in Detroit’s eyes, it wasn’t all him—it was the refs, too.