NBA announces suspensions from Charlotte Hornets-Detroit Pistons fight
The All-Star break is starting earlier than initially expected for two members of the Charlotte Hornets.
In the aftermath of Monday night’s brawl in the third quarter of the Hornets’ loss to Detroit, the NBA on Wednesday suspended Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges four games each for fighting. The league also slapped the Pistons’ Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart with suspensions.
Stewart received seven games for aggressively coming off the bench and instigating. The length of his suspension is based on his repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts, the NBA said. Duren received two games for fighting and initiating the altercation.
That means the Hornets will be without Diabate and Bridges when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday at Spectrum Center in a pivotal game considering the two teams are within striking distance of each other in the Eastern Conference. The duo participated in the team’s morning shootaround while still awaiting word from the league about any possible discipline.
Atlanta sits a half game ahead of the Hornets (25-29) and this is the fourth and final regular-season matchup between the Southeast Division foes.
The suspensions stem from an incident that came with just under five minutes into Monday’s second half. Diabate was whistled for a foul after he got tangled up inside the paint with Duren. Diabate put his head down to butt up against Duren’s forehead after the two slowly crept toward each other and Duren took his right hand and swiped at Diabate.
That led to a skirmish between Diabate and Duren, and Diabate charged at Duren for a second time moments later. Stewart, on the bench and out of the game, sprinted onto the court and sought out Bridges, leading Bridges and Stewart to square off before things were finally broken up.
All four were ejected and were joined by coach Charles Lee in the fourth quarter after Lee went on the floor and had to be restrained by Brandon Miller to keep him from really confronting the officials. Lee received a technical foul after being bothered by an offensive foul call on Grant Williams and immediately was sent off by head referee John Goble.
Following practice on Tuesday before the suspensions were handed out, Lee detailed how the Hornets can use the whole ordeal to better themselves. They entered their matchup with the Pistons as one of the hottest teams in the league, riding a nine-game stretch of nothing but victories.
“It’s a good learning experience for us on a lot of different levels,” Lee said. “That was a high-pressure, intense game. We don’t talk about the streak, but we all know the streak is there. It’s the first-seeded team in the East. It’s a physical team. You have to feel those emotions that help you prepare you for potential playoffs or play-in.
“Or the last regular-season game of the season you need that to get in somewhere. You’re going to be in these intense environments again, so you’ve got to know I can go to that level but also there’s the mental side of the game, and you can’t tip over, and do things that are going to take away from your team’s ability to win. We need those guys on the court.”
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 11:42 AM with the headline "NBA announces suspensions from Charlotte Hornets-Detroit Pistons fight."
