The NBA has handed down suspensions to four players following a heated altercation during Monday night’s game between the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets.
Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart received the most severe penalty, and was suspended seven games for leaving the bench area and becoming involved in the fight, a punishment the league said was influenced by both his actions and his history of unsportsmanlike conduct. Pistons center Jalen Duren received a two-game suspension for starting the confrontation, while Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate were each sidelined for four games for escalating the incident. Financial penalties were also imposed. Stewart will forfeit $724,138, Bridges $689,655, Duren $89,423, and Diabate $62,641, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
The clash erupted midway through the third quarter when Diabate committed a hard defensive foul on Duren with 7:09 remaining. Duren confronted Diabate, and the exchange quickly intensified, with Duren pushing Diabate in the face. As officials tried to restore order, Bridges charged in and threw a punch, prompting Stewart to rush off the bench. Stewart and Bridges then became entangled, with Stewart briefly placing Bridges in a headlock and throwing multiple punches. The chaotic scene lasted more than 30 seconds and even drew a brief police presence onto the court. All four players were hit with technical fouls and ejected from the game, along with Hornets coach Charles Lee after a referee review.
Duren later described the incident as an “overly competitive game. Emotions were flaring. At the end of the day, we would love to keep it basketball, but things happen. Everybody was just playing hard.” Bridges also addressed the situation on social media, posting on Instagram: “Sorry Hornets nation! Sorry Hornets Organization.! Always gonna protect my teammates forever.”
The suspensions take effect this week. Stewart and Duren begin serving theirs when Detroit visits the Toronto Raptors, while Bridges and Diabate will sit out starting when Charlotte hosts the Atlanta Hawks. Despite his suspension, Duren is still expected to participate in the NBA All-Star Game, where he was recently named an Eastern Conference reserve.
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