Hornets Coach Blames Refs After Costly Ejection in Pistons Fight

Charlotte nearly pulled off an upset but fell short after multiple players were ejected for a brawl.

Feb. 10, 2026 at 2:55pm

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The Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons were involved in a heated fight during their game, leading to the ejection of several players, including the Hornets' Moussa Diabate, Miles Bridges, and the Pistons' Jalen Duren. Hornets head coach Charles Lee was also ejected later in the game for arguing with the referees. Lee took responsibility for his ejection, saying he thought the referees were inconsistent in their foul calls throughout the physical game.

Why it matters

The ejections of key players on both teams had a significant impact on the outcome of the game, with the Hornets nearly pulling off an upset over the top team in the Eastern Conference before falling short. The incident also raises questions about the league's handling of such altercations and the potential for further disciplinary action.

The details

The fight broke out in the third quarter, with Diabate and Bridges getting into it with Duren. Coaches and other players tried to intervene, but the referees still ejected the three players involved in the brawl. Later in the fourth quarter, Lee was also ejected for arguing with the officials, which he took responsibility for, saying he thought the referees were inconsistent in their foul calls throughout the physical game.

  • The fight and player ejections occurred in the third quarter of the game.
  • Lee was ejected in the fourth quarter, with just under six minutes left in the game.

The players

Moussa Diabate

A Charlotte Hornets player who was ejected from the game for his involvement in the fight.

Miles Bridges

A Charlotte Hornets player who was ejected from the game for his involvement in the fight.

Jalen Duren

A Detroit Pistons player who was recently named an NBA All-Star and was ejected from the game for his involvement in the fight.

Charles Lee

The head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, who was ejected from the game for arguing with the referees.

Grant

A player mentioned in the article, though his full name is not provided.

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What they’re saying

“I'll have to go back and watch it again. Just looked like a ton of physicality and two guys kind of got in a heated conversation, and then it spiraled from there.”

— Charles Lee, Hornets Head Coach

“I take ownership of it. I thought that we were competing our tails off. I thought that it was a very physical game, and Grant's walking down the paint and barely touched somebody, and the guy fell over, and that's what we were gonna call a foul.”

— Charles Lee, Hornets Head Coach

What’s next

The NBA will likely impose additional penalties, such as fines and/or game suspensions, on the players and coaches involved in the fight.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the intense emotions and physicality that can arise in high-stakes NBA games, as well as the challenges referees face in maintaining control and consistency. The Hornets' near-upset of the conference-leading Pistons was overshadowed by the fight, raising questions about the league's handling of such altercations and their impact on the game.