New York (AFP) – Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart was suspended seven games by the NBA, and three others involved in a brawl between Detroit and Charlotte were also banned by the league on Wednesday. Stewart’s punishment came for leaving the bench area, aggressively entering an on-court altercation, and fighting, with the length of the suspension in part based on his history of repeated unsportsmanlike acts.
Charlotte Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate were each suspended four games for fighting and escalating the altercation, while Detroit center Jalen Duren was banned two games for initiating the altercation and fighting. All four players were issued technical fouls and ejected from the contest with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter of Detroit’s 110-104 victory over the Hornets on Monday at Charlotte. The melee erupted when Diabate committed a defensive foul on Duren.
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Stewart and Duren begin serving their suspensions later on Wednesday when the Pistons visit Toronto. Bridges and Diabate will start serving their suspensions when Charlotte hosts Atlanta. Stewart, who will lose more than $724,000 in salary, will not be able to return until Detroit’s March 3 game at Cleveland. He is averaging 10.0 points and 5.1 rebounds a game this season.
Duren, named to this week’s NBA All-Star Game, is expected to be able to play in Sunday’s event at Los Angeles. Duren has averaged 17.7 points and 10.4 rebounds a game this season for the Pistons, who lead the Eastern Conference at 39-13. Charlotte, 10th in the East at 25-29, can welcome back Bridges and Diabate on February 24 when the Hornets visit Chicago. Bridges averages 18.2 points and 6.1 rebounds a game, while Frenchman Diabate averages 8.2 points and 8.6 rebounds a game.
The NBA also announced $35,000 fines for Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid for their roles in an altercation in a different contest. The incident occurred eight seconds into the fourth quarter of Minnesota’s 138-116 home victory over Atlanta on Monday when Senegal’s Gueye committed a defensive foul by pushing Reid from behind. Both players grabbed each other’s jerseys in an aggressive fashion and were issued technical fouls and ejected from the game.
The T-Wolves stand 33-22, sixth in the Western Conference, while the Hawks are 26-29, ninth in the East.
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