Pistons-Hornets Brawl: 4 Ejected After Chaos Erupts On The Court
Monday night between the Detroit Pistons and the Charlotte Hornets was one of the most anticipated matchups of the week. Detroit has been atop the Eastern Conference for most of the year. Charlotte is one of the hottest teams in the NBA. However, the massive brawl is what will be remembered in this game. What started as a hard foul quickly spiraled into a full-blown brawl, resulting in four ejections and leaving the league office with plenty of tape to review.
Piston-Hornets Brawl: How the Chaos Started
The game was already tense, as is often the case when two young, hungry teams face off. The Pistons held a slim 70-62 lead with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Detroit center Jalen Duren had the ball and drove toward the basket, looking to score.
Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate met him with a hard foul to stop the play. While hard fouls are part of the game, the reaction was immediate. Duren turned around, and the two big men went face-to-face. Words were exchanged, heads were butted, and then things turned physical.
Duren appeared to shove Diabate in the face with an open hand. That was the match that lit the fuse. The confrontation lasted more than 30 seconds, which is an eternity in an NBA scuffle. Even as teammates tried to separate them—Pistons veteran Tobias Harris was seen trying to hold Diabate back—punches started flying. Diabate took a swing at Duren, and the situation escalated from a “dust-up” to a brawl.
The Situation Escalates Quickly
Just when it seemed like cooler heads might prevail, other players jumped into the fray. Charlotte forward Miles Bridges charged at Duren and threw a left-handed punch. Duren fired back with a punch of his own.
The chaos wasn’t limited to the players on the floor. Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart, who has a history of fiery on-court behavior, left the bench area to confront Bridges. Bridges responded with another swing, and the two tussled before being separated by security and coaching staff.
By the time the officials restored order, the energy in the arena had completely shifted. The referees spent a long time reviewing the footage on the monitor to sort out the penalties.
Four Players Sent to the Locker Room
After the dust settled and the video review was complete, the officials made their ruling. Four players were ejected from the game immediately:
- Jalen Duren (Pistons)
- Isaiah Stewart (Pistons)
- Miles Bridges (Hornets)
- Moussa Diabate (Hornets)
Losing two key big men was a huge blow for Detroit, just as losing Bridges and Diabate hurt Charlotte’s rotation. The game continued, but the shadow of the fight hung over the rest of the contest.
A History of Bad Blood?
While this specific incident seemed spontaneous, the players involved have histories that likely played a role in the league’s upcoming decisions.
Isaiah Stewart is no stranger to NBA discipline. He has been suspended previously for an altercation with LeBron James and, more recently, for punching Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks before a game. His decision to leave the bench area is a major infraction in the NBA rulebook and usually results in an automatic suspension, regardless of whether punches were thrown.
Miles Bridges also has a complicated history, having served a significant suspension related to off-court issues. While that is separate from basketball plays, the league often looks at a player’s total track record when handing down punishments for fighting.
What Consequences Are Coming?
The ejections are likely just the beginning. The NBA takes fighting extremely seriously, especially when punches are thrown.
We can expect the league office to issue fines and suspensions in the coming days.
- Suspensions: Players who throw punches almost always face multi-game suspensions. Given that Duren, Diabate, and Bridges were all seen swinging, they should prepare to miss time.
- Leaving the Bench: Isaiah Stewart’s involvement is particularly tricky. The NBA has a strict rule about players leaving the bench during an altercation. Because he not only left the bench but also got physically involved, his punishment could be severe.
- Fines: Heavy fines will accompany any suspensions.
This incident is a reminder of how quickly emotions can boil over in professional sports. For the Pistons and Hornets, a regular Monday night game has now turned into a headline-grabbing event that will impact their rosters for the next few games. If these two teams meet again this season—mark your calendars for April 10—you can bet the intensity will be through the roof.
