It got physical early as the Denver Nuggets hosted the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, with both teams trying to establish the game's tempo.
In the first quarter, Isaiah Stewart attacked the paint, but Jonas Valanciunas was there to stop him. As Stewart tried to go up for the lay-in, Valanciunas fouled him and put him in a headlock, earning a flagrant foul for excessive contact.
Jonas Valanciunas Receives Flagrant Foul 1 For Excessive and Unnecessary Contact On Isaiah Stewart 🔵🔴 #detroitbasketball pic.twitter.com/rQXfm2xW6o
— Downtown Deuce (@DowntownDeuce) February 4, 2026
Stewart, who has a history of being short-tempered, did not retaliate.
“Jonas Valanciunas put Isaiah Stewart in a headlock following a foul, and a little barking ensued. Stewart, believe it or not, walked away while Jalen Duren stepped in,” noted ESPN's Vincent Goodwill.
Valanciunas and Duren were each issued a technical foul for their verbal altercation.
As of writing, the Pistons are comfortably ahead of the Nuggets, 69-50, at halftime.
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Valanciunas has three points, five rebounds, and two blocks, while Stewart has nine points and three rebounds. They both came off the bench.
The Nuggets are looking to bounce back after losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. The Pistons, on the other hand, are aiming for their third straight win.
The Nuggets are also trying to get back at the Pistons after falling short in their last meeting, with Jamal Murray costing them the game at the free-throw line.
The 33-year-old Valanciunas recently returned from a calf strain, which forced him to miss three weeks.
Denver is slowly regaining its full roster, with Nikola Jokic and Christian Braun also returning from a knee injury and an ankle injury, respectively.