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It was quite the scene in Charlotte on Monday night, where the Hornets nine-game winning streak reached its end. The Detroit Pistons came to town, and came out with a four-point victory.
Well before the final whistle, the teams got into a massive scrum, and there were flagrant fouls and ejections on both sides. Just a few days before the All-Star Break, four players were handed suspensions.
Of course, the big thing for Charlotte has been their resurgence over the past seven weeks. They have done nothing but win basketball games, going from the abyss in the East, to a play-in spot. Things will get a just a little bit tougher for them now though, as two-fifths of the starting lineup in the NBA with the highest winning percentage will be suspended.
Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate will miss some time. Let’s get into it.
Suspensions Handed Out to Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate
The NBA has officially announced suspensions for four players stemming from Monday night’s brawl. It was like a WWE Smackdown scene at the Spectrum Center when things got going. Of course, it’s tough news for both clubs.
For the Hornets, starting center Moussa Diabate will miss the next four games. His energy and rebounding has done wonders for the team’s defense and second-chance points. After hardly getting minutes his first few years in the league, he has quite clearly found his home here.
Miles Bridges is also going to be suspended for the next four contests. Averaging 18 points and six rebounds, the Michigan State product has been integral to the success of the team. His athleticism has continued to be on display with his high-flying jams and drives.
The Hornets had been 15-1 with the starting five of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Bridges, and Diabate prior to the Detroit game. Losing those two guys for the rest of the contest certainly did not help matters.
A battle with the Hawks awaits tonight, and then the Rockets, Cavs, and Bulls are the others during the suspensions. There is no such thing as an easy game in the association, and the team will really have to work to pull the wins out.
Trade deadline acquisition Coby White is going to miss some time, so his debut will be indefinitely delayed, making things that much tougher.
Hornets Look to Stay Afloat Amidst Suspensions
Nobody within the Hornets organization can be happy after the antics with the Pistons. The fight broke out initially between Moussa Diabate and Jalen Duren, and then it spread. Detroit is without he and Isaiah Stewart, while Charlotte losses Diabate and Miles Bridges. What the two of them bring to the floor is hard to replicate.
The return of Grant Williams has helped things tremendously, and now he’ll be vaulted back into a larger role like he had pre-injury for these four contests. Ryan Kalkbrenner is likely to now re-gain his starting spot that he had to open the year.
With some tough games on the calendar ahead, it’ll be no walk in the park for Charlotte. But if they have proven anything this year, it’s that this team is not like those of years past. They have the makings of a playoff team for the first time since 2016.
Zach Weiss Zach Weiss is a sports reporter covering the NBA for Heavy. He also hosts a podcast about the Cleveland Cavaliers, “Across the Cavs,” and serves as a sports broadcaster for various institutions in the Greater NYC Area. He wrote for Knup Sports for six years. More about Zach Weiss
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