The Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets were putting on quite the matchup as the Eastern Conference’s top team and the red-hot Hornets on a nine-game winning streak met Monday night at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
But the game came to a screeching halt with just over seven minutes to go in the third quarter after Pistons center Jalen Duren was fouled on a drive to the basket by Moussa Diabate and a [fight broke out shortly after](https://x.com/espn/status/2021040234041839856?s=20).
The ensuing scuffle, which spilled around the court and saw players and coaches from the benches get involved resulted in four immediate ejections.
Duren and Diabate alongside Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and Charlotte’s Miles Bridges were the four players removed from the game.
After the foul on Duren, he and Diabate got in each other’s faces which led to Duren pushing the former Michigan forward in the face. Diabate responded by lunging toward Duren and attempting to punch him while Tobias Harris and Hornets players attempted to hold him back.
Diabate continued to pursue Duren as he walked away. But after Diabate was restrained, Bridges then approached Duren and threw a punch at him near midcourt. Duren attempted to return the punch but neither appeared to connect.
That second conflict saw Stewart rush toward Bridges and he began fighting with the former Michigan State forward until they were separated.
Duren was just making his return to Detroit’s lineup after missing the last game against the New York Knicks due to lingering knee soreness. This was his second ejection of the season after elbowing the Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson in an October matchup.
Stewart was ejected from a Dec. 4 matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks after picking up two technicals, the second for a heated argument with Bobby Portis.
After such a significant brawl, the Pistons will need to be prepared for suspensions to possibly be handed down by the NBA.
Earlier this season, a fight between then-New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams resulted in the players being suspended two and one game, respectively, after exchanging blows.
_This story will be updated._