Fight, ejections mar Pistons win over Hornets
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA—Cade Cunningham had 33 points and nine rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons hung on to beat Charlotte, 110-104, on Monday night, snapping the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak in a wild game that included a fight and four player ejections.
Charlotte coach Charles Lee was also ejected after having to be restrained from going after an official while arguing a no-call in the fourth quarter.
Duncan Robinson scored 18 points for the Pistons, and Jalen Duren added 15 before being ejected when he ignited the brawl by hitting Moussa Diabate with an open right hand in the third quarter.
Brandon Miller scored 24 points for the Hornets, while LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel each had 20.
Midway through the third quarter, Duren was driving toward the basket when he was fouled by Diabate. Duren got face-to-face with Diabate and the two appeared to butt heads. Duren then hit Diabate in the face with his open right hand, igniting a confrontation that lasted more than 30 seconds.
While Pistons forward Tobias Harris was holding Diabate back, Diabate threw a punch at Duren. Duren walked away, and Miles Bridges charged at him, throwing a left-handed punch. Duren retaliated with a punch. Diabate attempted to charge again at Duren and had to be held back. Isaiah Stewart left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded with a punch, and the players tussled.
Diabate, Bridges, Duren and Stewart were ejected.
The ejections elevated an already intense crowd to a new level in a physical game. In the fourth quarter, Lee was ejected after having to be restrained by Miller from going after an official after his player, Grant Williams, collided with Detroit’s Paul Reed.
Charlotte cut the lead to four with one minute remaining, but Miller and Knueppel missed 3s on the same possession.
Tobias Harris’ jumper put the Pistons up by six with 40 seconds left.
In Los Angeles, Jalen Williams scored 15 of his 23 points in the second half of his return from a 10-game injury absence, and the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped their two-game skid with a 119-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and current NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic both sat out due to injuries, leaving their supporting casts to play a Thunder-style physical game featuring 52 combined free throws.
LeBron James scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half for the Lakers, whose three-game winning streak ended with another ineffective defensive performance.
Jalen Williams, who had been out with a hamstring strain, and Jaylin Williams both hit big jumpers, while the Thunder broke open a close game down the stretch. Chet Holmgren added a key put-back dunk with 1:17 to play for the NBA-leading Thunder, who had lost three of five.
Isaiah Joe scored 19 points, and Alex Caruso added 17 from Oklahoma City’s bench. Holmgren had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Marcus Smart scored 19 points, and Austin Reaves had 16 on a minutes restriction for Los Angeles, which dropped to a pedestrian 14-9 at home.
