CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Detroit center 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 center 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 and Bridges and Diabaté out for the Hornets host the Atlanta Hawks at Spectrum Center.
Diabate, Bridges, Duren and Stewart were all ejected from the Pistons’ 110-104 win following a the melee in the third quarter.
Duren was driving toward the basket when he was fouled by Diabate. Duren turned around to get face-to-face with Diabate and the two appeared to butt heads. Duren then hit Diabate in the face with his open hand and things escalated from there.
While Pistons forward Tobias Harris was holding Diabate back, Diabate 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. Diabate 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 got Bridges in a headlock and delivered mutiple left-handed blows to 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 Monday, Diabate 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. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
