The Detroit Pistons have plenty of reasons to feel frustrated after their Game 5 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but one particular moment in the closing seconds of regulation has left the entire organization searching for answers.

With the game tied and the Cavaliers holding for the final shot, Donovan Mitchell drove on Ausar Thompson and attempted a short jumper in the paint. Thompson read the play beautifully, swatting the ball away from Mitchell. As Thompson sprinted after the loose ball with time still on the clock, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen made contact that sent him sprawling to the floor.

Thompson looked for a whistle. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff sprinted onto the court after the buzzer. Neither got what they wanted. Instead of Thompson heading to the free-throw line with a chance to win it, the game headed to overtime, where the Cavaliers took control and secured a pivotal 3-2 series lead.

The frustration boiled over in the postgame press conference, starting with star guard Cade Cunningham, who delivered a 39-point, seven-rebound, nine-assist performance in what was arguably the best playoff showing of his young career. "We all saw the play. I think it's pretty clear it was a foul," Cunningham said.

His coach didn't mince words either. "Allen fouled Ausar. It's clear. He trips him when he's going for a loose ball," Bickerstaff said.

The no-call was especially painful given how the game unfolded. The Pistons led by as many as 15 points in the first half and pushed their advantage back to nine with just three minutes left in regulation. But they went scoreless in the final three minutes, allowing the Cavaliers to claw back and force overtime.

For his part, Thompson refused to point fingers. "Can't blame the refs. We can't put ourselves in these positions," he said, showing the kind of accountability that defines great competitors.

Crew chief Tony Brothers acknowledged after the game that a foul should have been called, but that doesn't change the reality: the Pistons now face elimination on the road in Game 6. For a team that has already exceeded expectations this postseason, they'll need to channel this frustration into focus — and perhaps find a way to finish games without leaving it in the officials' hands.