CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Detroit centre Isaiah Stewart was suspended seven games by the NBA on Wednesday, while three other players were also penalized for their roles in a fight during a game between the Pistons and Charlotte Hornets.
Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabaté were each suspended four games for fighting and escalating the altercation, while Pistons centre Jalen Duren got two games for initiating the altercation and fighting, the league announced.
But the heaviest penalty went to Stewart, with the league saying it was based in part on his “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.” The league said he left the bench area, aggressively entered an on-court altercation, and fought during Monday night’s game.
The suspensions will begin immediately, with Stewart and Duren missing Wednesday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors. Bridges and Diabaté will be out Wednesday night as the Hornets host the Atlanta Hawks.
Stewart has been suspended five times, including once for an altercation with LeBron James in 2021. He was suspended twice last season, including last April in an altercation with the Minnesota Timberwolves that spilled over into the stands.
Diabaté, Bridges, Duren and Stewart were all ejected from the Pistons’ 110-104 win following a melee in the third quarter.
Duren was driving toward the basket when he was fouled by Diabaté. Duren turned around to get face-to-face with Diabaté and the two appeared to butt heads. Duren then hit Diabaté in the face with his open hand and things escalated from there.
While Pistons forward Tobias Harris was holding Diabaté back, Diabaté threw a punch at Duren. Duren walked away and Bridges got involved by charged at him, throwing a left-handed punch. Duren retaliated with a punch. Diabaté attempted to charge again at Duren and had to be held back.
Stewart left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded with a punch, and the players tussled. At one point, Stewart rushed to throw a punch at Bridges and missed, but Stewart appeared to get Bridges in a headlock and delivered multiple left-handed blows toward his head.
Duren spoke after the game, calling it an “overly competitive game,” adding that “emotions were flaring. At the end of the day, we would love to keep it basketball, but things happen. Everybody was just playing hard.”
Following practice on Tuesday, Diabaté apologized to the Hornets organization and to the fans for his role in the altercation and vowed not to let it happen again.
“When he put his hand in my face, that’s when I think I lost control of it,” Diabate said.
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff defended his players after the game.
Lee was ejected and had to be restrained by Hornets guard Brandon Miller while yelling at officials for a no-call after Charlotte’s Grant Williams collided with Detroit’s Paul Reed.
The Pistons are in first place in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is fighting for a playoff spot and had won nine straight games — one shy of tying a franchise record — before losing to the Pistons.
