Bench clearing Brawl Erupts in Charlotte, Leaving Four Ejected as Suspensions Loom
In a chaotic scene that overshadowed the game itself, a massive, benches-clearing brawl broke out during the third quarter of an NBA matchup between the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets on February 9, 2026, resulting in four player ejections and raising the specter of significant league suspensions.
With just over seven minutes left in the quarter, a hard foul from Hornets center Moussa Diabaté on Pistons big man Jalen Duren served as the catalyst for an altercation that “spiraled” into a 30-second melee.
The league’s focus has now shifted from the Pistons’ 110-104 victory to the disciplinary fallout for the players involved, with Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart expected to face the harshest punishment due to his history of on-court incidents.
A Detailed Timeline of the Chaos
The sequence of events escalated rapidly from a single foul to a full-blown fight involving nearly the entire arena:
The table below summarizes the key roles and potential disciplinary risks for the primary players involved:
| Player (Team) | Role in the Brawl | Key Action | Ejected? | Potential Suspension Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Stewart (DET) | Escalated the fight from the bench. | Charged onto court, engaged in punches & headlock. | Yes | Very High. History of incidents; left bench and threw punches. |
| Miles Bridges (CHA) | Secondary escalator, primary combatant vs. Stewart. | Threw punch at Duren, then fought Stewart. | Yes | High. Threw punches as a primary combatant. |
| Jalen Duren (DET) | Initial physical escalation. | Struck Diabaté in face after headbutt. | Yes | Moderate. Instigated physical contact, retaliated with a punch. |
| Moussa Diabaté (CHA) | Initial retaliator. | Threw first punch of the brawl at Duren. | Yes | Moderate. Threw the first punch, escalating to violence. |
The Looming Suspensions and Stewart’s Troubled History
The NBA is expected to hand down suspensions and fines, with the league’s rulebook serving as a clear guide. Leaving the bench during an altercation carries an automatic one-game suspension and a $50,000 fine.
This places Isaiah Stewart squarely in the league’s crosshairs. As ESPN analyst Bobby Marks noted, “We aren’t going to see Isaiah Stewart for a very long time,” citing his “repeater offender status”.
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff defended Stewart, framing his actions as protecting a “brother” (Duren) after “multiple guys” went at him. However, this justification is unlikely to mitigate the league’s disciplinary response, given the clear violation of rules and Stewart’s pattern of behavior.
Reactions and Aftermath
In the locker room, narratives diverged. The Pistons defended their players as responders, not instigators. “Our guys deal with a lot, but they’re not the ones that initiated,” Bickerstaff said, arguing Duren and Stewart were defending themselves.
Fans online reacted with a mix of condemnation and perverse entertainment, with some dubbing the scene “Malice at the Palace 2.0” and others expressing concern for the league’s image.
The NBA office will now review all footage before announcing penalties. For the Pistons and Hornets, the immediate future involves preparing to play short-handed