Things got severely heated in the Hornets’ 110-104 win over the Pistons as Miles Bridges, Isaiah Stewart, Moussa Diabate and Jalen Duren were ejected from the game. The four players were involved in an altercation where punches were thrown.
The incident happened in the third quarter with seven minutes remaining on the clock. Duren had the ball and was driving toward the basket when Diabate fouled the Pistons center during his shot attempt. The two players touched their foreheads in agreement after the foul.
Thanks for the submission!
•
Durent broke the contact by shoving the Hornets’ forward face aside. Diabate went after Duren aggressively and threw punches that did not connect. Courtside security and coaching staff rushed onto the scene to separate the two players.
However, as Duren was walking away, Miles Bridges went after the Pistons center. Before the scuffle between Bridges and Duren could advance, Isaiah Stewart got up from his bench and rushed towards Bridges.
He grabbed the Hornets player and landed a few punches on his back. The officials stopped the game and reviewed the entire incident before ejecting the four players.
The four players ejected from the game are staring down suspensions. Jalen Duren and Moussa Diabate could gain a one to two-game suspension. Isaiah Stewar, on the other hand, is looking at a lengthy time away from the court.
The Pistons forward is a repeat offender when it comes to on-court fights. He charged at LeBron James once in 2021 and threw a punch at Drew Eubanks off the court in 2024. Those incidents landed him a two-game and three-game suspensions, respectively.
So, given his past record. Stewart can expect a five-game ban. As for Miles Bridges, he can walk away with a fine and a disciplinary warning. The Hornets player has no record of violent history.
Jalen Duren reveals honest thoughts on altercation with Miles Bridges & Moussa Diabate
Jalen Duren was made available to the press for questioning after the game. When asked about the incident, the Pistons center labelled the match as an overly competitive game.
“Emotions were flaring,” Duren said. “At the end of the day, we would love to keep it basketball, but things happen. Everybody was just playing hard.”
Later, Duren explained that the Hornets tried to get under his and his teammates’ skins.
“This isn’t the first time that people have tried to be extra aggressive with us and talk to us, whatever the case may be. But as a group, we have done an OK job of handling that energy and intensity. At the end of the day, emotions ran high with everybody being competitive. Things happen.”
While Duren spoke to the press, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate were not made available to the media. The Pistons will play the Raptors next on Wednesday.
Edited by Avi Shravan
