The NBA has suspended detroit pistons front-center Isaiah Stewart Seven players left the bench area and took part in the fight in Monday night’s controversy-plagued game. charlotte hornets.
League also suspended Hornets Ahead miles bridge And mousa diabetes Four games each to add to the fight and controversy that broke out in the third quarter. piston center Jalen Duren He was also suspended for two games for starting the brawl and fight, the league said in a statement.
All four players were found guilty of technical fouls and ejected from Monday’s game. Stewart and Duren will begin serving their suspensions on Thursday when the Pistons visit Toronto Raptors. Bridges and Diabate also serve their suspensions on Thursday when the Hornets host atlanta hawks.
The league attributed Stewart’s lengthy ban to his history of repeated unsportsmanlike acts.
A source told ESPN’s Shams Charania that Duren will still be able to participate in the NBA All-Star Game despite the suspension. He was named an Eastern Conference reserve last week.
The controversy began when Diabate drew a defensive foul on Duren with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter. Duren turned and faced Diabate and the two clashed. Duran then pushed Diabate in the face with his open right hand. Stewart then left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded with a punch and a scuffle broke out between the two players. At one point, Stewart trapped Bridges in a headlock and struck him several times to the head.
The confrontation lasted for more than 30 seconds and ultimately ended with a brief appearance of police on the floor.
Duren later called it a “highly competitive game”.
“Emotions were running high,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’d love to keep it basketball, but things happen. Everyone was just working hard.”
“Sorry Hornets Nation! Sorry Hornets organization! Will always protect my teammates,” Bridges wrote on Instagram late Monday night.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the suspensions will cost Stewart $724,138, Bridges $689,655, Duren $89,423 and Diabate $62,641.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
