Game officials ejected three players in the aftermath of the Pistons-Magic brawl. Detroit guard Killian Hayes ignited the bench-clearing fight between the two teams.
Although the brawl wasn’t as nasty as the infamous Malice at the Palace, the incident saw Hayes and Hamidou Diallo ejected from the game for their role in the fight. On the other hand, Orlando’s Moe Wagner was ejected for a flagrant foul.
Since the fight broke out over the Pistons’ bench, many Magic players may face suspension for leaving their bench area to join the melee.
Pistons-Magic Brawl
According to Sports Interaction sources, all players not actively engaging in the game are required by NBA regulations to stay on or near their benches should an altercation occur. A fine of up to $50,000 and a suspension of at least one game will result from any infraction.
Pay per head bookie reported Wagner and Hayes started the fight by chasing after a lost ball in the Orlando backcourt. Hayes crashed into the Detroit bench after what looked like an elbow from Wagner.
Hayes stood up and looked to knock out the German forward with a blow to the back of the head.
In the end, the Pistons prevailed 121-101 over the Magic. However, Dwane Casey, coach of the Detroit Lions, requested further information from the authorities. According to a sports handicapping forum, he also mentioned that he was aware that players were not allowed to leave the bench area during an incident for fear of further escalation.
