Four Ejected After Wild Brawl Erupts in Pistons–Hornets Matchup
Things got heated fast Monday night in Charlotte — and not just on the scoreboard.
A third-quarter scuffle between the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets exploded into a full-on brawl that led to four player ejections and even a brief police presence near the court. When the dust settled, Detroit walked away with a 110–104 win, but the game will be remembered more for flying punches than fast breaks.
How It All Started
With just over seven minutes left in the third, Detroit center Jalen Duren drove to the rim and was fouled by Charlotte big man Moussa Diabate. After the whistle, the two got face-to-face and appeared to bump heads. Duren then shoved Diabate in the face, and chaos followed.
Teammates rushed in, but instead of calming things down, the situation escalated.
Punches Thrown, Benches React
While being held back, Diabate took a swing at Duren. Hornets forward Miles Bridges then charged in and threw a left-handed punch. Duren answered with one of his own.
Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart left the bench and went straight at Bridges. The two tangled, with Stewart briefly putting Bridges in a headlock and landing several punches before players and staff finally separated them.
Officials reviewed the play and ejected Duren, Stewart, Diabate, and Bridges for fighting.
Crew chief John Goble later confirmed the decision, saying the players were tossed for “engaging in fighting activity during a dead ball,” which brings automatic ejections under NBA rules.
Emotions Still Boiling Over
Tensions didn’t cool off after that.
In the fourth quarter, Hornets head coach Charles Lee was ejected after furiously arguing a no-call. He had to be physically restrained by forward Brandon Miller as he continued shouting at officials.
Lee later admitted he lost control of his emotions, while also criticizing what he felt was inconsistent officiating.
Postgame Reactions
Duren described the night as an “overly competitive game,” saying opponents have been trying to get under Detroit’s skin all season.
Bridges issued an apology to Hornets fans on social media but added he’ll “always protect” his teammates.
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff stood firmly behind his squad, saying his players were defending themselves and didn’t initiate the situation.
The Bottom Line
The Pistons got the road win.
But the NBA may not be done with this one yet — suspensions and fines could be coming after one of the ugliest on-court fights of the season.
