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The NBA has suspended players from both the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets for their roles in the brawl that broke out Monday night.<\/p>\n
Isaiah Stewart received the harshest punishment: a seven-game suspension. He came off the bench to confront Miles Bridges and already had prior incidents working against him. Based on precedent<\/a>, the penalty felt somewhat light for Stewart.<\/p>\n His Pistons teammate, Jalen Duren, received a two-game suspension for his role in the altercation. Though he initiated the scuffle, the league handed him what felt like a relatively minor punishment.<\/p>\n Detroit\u2019s next two games are difficult road matchups against Eastern Conference contenders \u2014 the Raptors and the Knicks \u2014 following the All-Star break. J.B. Bickerstaff has guided the Pistons to a commanding position atop the East, but with the seventh-hardest remaining schedule and additional matchups against the Cavaliers<\/a> and Thunder, the race could tighten quickly.<\/p>\n On the Hornets\u2019 side, Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges were each suspended four games. I was surprised Diabate received the same suspension as Bridges. In my view, Diabate was the primary instigator and escalated the situation more than anyone.<\/p>\n Charlotte\u2019s next four games are against the Hawks, Rockets, Cavaliers and Wizards. Two of those contests feel very winnable, making the suspensions even more frustrating. The Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the league, winning nine of their last 10. They had clawed back into the play-in picture, and it would be unfortunate if this derailed their momentum.<\/p>\n