The Pistons-Hornets fight that led to four ejections Monday night now has a clear flashpoint, at least from Charlotte’s side.
Hornets big man Moussa Diabate said he hit a breaking point when Detroit center Jalen Duren “put his hands on my face,” adding, “that’s kind of when I lost control of it,” in comments shared by theCharlotte Observer after practice Tuesday.
The third-quarter brawl halted play at the 7:09 mark with Detroit leading 70-62 at Spectrum Center. Diabate, Duren, Charlotte’s Miles Bridges, andDetroit’s Isaiah Stewart were all ejected, and the Pistons went on to win 110-104.
ESPN
BENCHES CLEAR IN PISTONS-HORNETS 😲
Moussa Diabate, Miles Bridges, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart were all ejected following the altercation during Pistons-Hornets.
What happened in the Pistons-Hornets brawl
The initial collision came after a foul inside, when Diabate and Duren got tangled in the paint and tensions spiked.Reuters described the scuffle escalating into a broader fight that spread across much of the floor, ultimately pulling in Bridges and Stewart as well.
The NBA also released a pool report explaining the ejections, with crew chief John Goble saying the players “engaged in fighting activity” during the dead-ball sequence and were ejected “by rule” after replay review.
One more important detail from that same pool report: Hornets coach Charles Lee was ejected later in the game for coming onto the floor and “aggressively” pursuing an official, according to Goble.
Diabate’s explanation: “That’s when I lost control”
Diabate didn’t try to pretend it was anything other than an emotional moment. But he drew a line between normal physical, competitive basketball and what he viewed as a personal escalation.
“We go back and forth… it’s basketball,” Diabate said, before describing the moment he felt things went too far, per theCharlotte Observer.
That quote is a big reason Diabate is trending: it’s a direct answer to the question fans want to know — what exactly set this off — and it’s coming straight from one of the main participants.
Why Miles Bridges called it “the most disrespectful thing you can do”
Bridges also spoke after practice, and his quote is the one most likely to headline social clips.
Bridges said Duren “pushing him in his face” was “the most disrespectful thing you can do,” according to theCharlotte Observer. Bridges added he should’ve handled it differently, saying he should have gone to Diabate and made sure he was okay, “a learning experience,” per the report.
What suspensions could hinge on next
As of Tuesday, the league review was still the center of gravity here, and theObserver reported the expectation was all four ejected players would be suspended once the NBA issued discipline.
Here’s the key mechanic to watch: who left the bench area during the altercation.
The NBA’s own rules spell out that during an altercation, non-participating players are required to remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench, while coaches can be on the court as “peacemakers.”
That’s why Stewart’s involvement is likely to be scrutinized closely, since multiple reports described him coming off the bench area as the chaos escalated.
Detroit and Charlotte are also scheduled to meet again April 10 in Charlotte, which only raises the stakes for what the NBA decides and what each team looks like rotation-wise if suspensions hit immediately