- Magic 101-121 Pistons. Violent Detroit brawl reminiscent of Malice at the Palace during Pistons victory vs. Magic
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On Thursday, the NBA announced that Detroit Pistons point guard Killian Hayes and Orlando Magic's Moritz Wagner received multi-game suspensions after leading a brawl that escalated into a brawl between the two teams on Wednesday. In addition, the NBA suspended eight Magic players for one game for leaving the bench during Wednesday's brawl.
The fight started when Wagner pushed Hayes into the Detroit bench. Hayes got up and hit him in the back of the head. Wagner appeared to be slightly knocked out, while Magic players ran off their bench in concern for their teammate.
Details of the 11 players suspended by the NBA
Hayes, received a three-game suspension without pay. Wagner was suspended two games and Hamidou Diallo of the Pistons was suspended one game by NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars, the former Pistons player.
The suspensions were so exemplary that they will have to be served in a staggered fashion so that the team has enough players on the roster for its next game. The players suspended one game for the Magic were Cole Anthony, R. J. Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield, Franz Wagner, Mo Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr.
Anthony, Bamba, Carter, Hampton and Gary Harris will serve their suspensions on Friday against Washington. Kevon Harris, Schofield and Franz Wagner will be suspended for the next game, Jan. 4 at Oklahoma City.
In addition, these 11 suspensions will equate to just over $500,000 in lost wages. While Hayes will lose about $121,000.
How did the pitched battle between Magic and Pistons go?
After the shoving, Franz Wagner and Killian Hayes fought until one of them ended up knocked out, at Little Caesars Arena, during the second quarter, when the Pistons were leading by nearly 20 points.
Wagner and Hayes were running for the ball at the edge of the court when the Magic forward put his body in Hayes' path. This caused him to fall against the Pistons' substitutes and coach.
This upset the Pistons players and they pounced on Franz Wagener. Hayes took advantage of the crowd to elbow the Orlando Magic player in the back of the neck, who was knocked out.
Fortunately, the fight did not escalate, but the Orlando players were suspended for leaving their bench area.