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Fists flew during the game at the Spectrum Center on Feb. 9 after a hard foul by the Charlotte Hornets’ Moussa Diabaté on the Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren
A skirmish quickly evolved into a massive brawl, prompting other players to engage
Miles Bridges, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren and Moussa Diabate were ultimately all ejected
The court turned into a ring last night during the Detroit Pistons’ 110-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, Feb. 9.
Fists flew during the game at the Spectrum Center after a hard foul by Charlotte’s Moussa Diabaté on Detroit’s Jalen Duren sparked a skirmish that quickly evolved into a massive brawl, prompting other players to engage.
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As soon as the whistle blew that determined the foul, the opposing players immediately went nose to nose, pressing their foreheads up against each other. Duren shoved Diabaté away, making contact with Diabaté’s face.
Hornets-Pistons fight breaks out on Feb. 9, 2026.
David Jensen/Getty
Diabaté then swung at Duren, before various members of each team swarmed the players. Security attempted to intervene, but the heated duo kept the altercation going with players like Isaiah Stewart of the Pistons jumping in.
Amid the chaos, Miles Bridges of the Hornets threw a punch at Duren before Stewart — who has established a reputation of being one of the most notorious hot heads in the NBA — took a shot at Bridges himself.
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Stewart wasn’t even playing in the game at the time of the brawl and ran over from the bench just to participate.
Bridges threw a punch at Stewart, who swerved it and ran after him as bystanders tried to break the fight up.
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Isaiah Stewart #28 of the Detroit Pistons fouls Moussa Diabate #14 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of the game on Feb. 9, 2026.
David Jensen/Getty
Bridges, Stewart, Duren and Diabate were ultimately all ejected during the third-quarter brawl.
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Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff defended his players in a press conference after the game.
“Our guys deal with a lot, but they’re not the ones that initiated, they’re not the ones who crossed the line tonight,” he said.  “It was clear… they crossed the line. That’s not something that you ever want to see, but if a guy throws a punch at you, you have a responsibility to protect yourself.”
While multiple players were involved in the altercation, Stewart went viral online after his participation in the brawl.
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“Isaiah Stewart just needed a reason bro wasn’t even in the game ðŸ˜Â ðŸ˜Â ðŸ˜,” one user tweeted alongside a video of the altercation.
Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons (left) and Moussa Diabate #14 of the Charlotte Hornets (right).
Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty; Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty
“Isaiah Stewart saw a fight without him and made sure to change that,” penned Barstool Sports.
“Like dude has been waiting for this moment and won’t let it pass him by lol,” tweeted a third user.
In February 2024, Stewart faced criminal charges from a pregame fight with Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks. While the charges were ultimately dropped, Stewart was suspended by the NBA.
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An assault charge was originally filed against Stewart for punching Eubanks in the face during an altercation in the parking lot of the Suns’ Footprint Arena in downtown Phoenix. He served a three-game suspension.
Read the original article on People