Four players were ejected after a brawl between the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets during the third quarter of their game at Spectrum Center in Charlotte Monday (February 9) night.
Charlotte's Moussa Diabaté and Miles Bridges and Detroit's Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart were all tossed from the game, which was eventually won by the Pistons, 110-104. Hornets coach Charles Lee was also later ejected in the fourth quarter after a separate incident in which he was restrained from an official while arguing a call.
Duren drove to the basket and was fouled by Diabaté with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Duren then turned around and got face-to-face with Diabaté, at which point the two appeared to butt heads before Duren pushed Diabaté in the face with his open right hand.
Both benches were cleared during the skirmish, which lasted more than 30 seconds and included a brief police presence on the court. Diabaté threw a punch at Duren despite being held back by Pistons teammate Tobias Harris, and tried to walk away before Bridges charged at him, throwing a left-handed punch.
Duren threw a retaliation punch before Diabaté attempted to charge at him but was held back. Stewart, who was on the bench when the fight initially broke out, confronted Bridges, who responded by throwing a punch, leading to a tussle between the two.
Stewart eventually got Bridges in a headlock and threw multiple left-handed blows to his head. Duren said the incident stemmed from an "overly competitive game" while speaking to reporters later that night.
"Emotions were flaring," he said via the Associated Press. "At the end of the day, we would love to keep it basketball, but things happen. Everybody was just playing hard."
Duren also claimed that the Pistons have been targeted by other teams trying to "get in our head" all season.
"This isn't the first time that people have tried to be like extra aggressive with us and talk to us, whatever the case may be," he added via the Associated Press. "But as a group, we have done an OK job of handling that energy and intensity. At the end of the day, emotions got high with everybody being competitive. Things happen."