The matches of the NBA have always been highly competitive among teams- every team tries to outplay the opponents and give their best to get the game in the bag.
However, when the competition is tight, and a team is running away with the match with a sixteen points lead, the situation might intensify to the point of a brawl on center stage; this is precisely what happened when the Orlando Magic were facing the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
Wagner and Hayes got into it in the backcourt while chasing down a loose ball right before halftime of Wednesday’s game in Detroit. Wagner gave Hayes a hip check that knocked him to the floor as they approached the Pistons’ bench. Hayes reacted swiftly, rising to his feet to punch Wagner in the back of the skull.
This scene at the Magic-Pistons game 😳
Moe Wagner, Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo were all ejected after this altercation.pic.twitter.com/gGiA6BWz3O
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 29, 2022
After the incident, both Wagner and Hayes were ejected from the playing arena along with Hamidou Diallo, who was also involved in the brawl. Even though these players were removed, the match’s outcome did not change, and the Pistons went on to win the game with a twenty points lead.
What happened to the players after the game?
As the match came to a close, the NBA punished the players who were spotted in the fight for their “unsportsmanlike act,” along with Wagner, Hayes, and Diallo- Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield, Franz Wagner, Mo Bamba, and Wendell Carter Jr all faced suspension.
Magic forward Moe Wagner was suspended for two games, and Pistons guard Killian Hayes was given a three-game ban, while the others faced a game suspension each-all of these suspensions will be without pay.
The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/QH6tSJI1l7
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 30, 2022
How did Fans react to the suspensions?
Fans did not seem pleased with the decisions of the NBA; many believed it was unfair towards the player as justice was not served accordingly.
A fan regarding the suspension wrote, “Lmao so Wagner gets 2 games for getting KO’d in the back of the dome and the entire Magic gets 1 for trying to keep him from getting jumped?? The guy who actually threw the punch only gets 3? Math ain’t mathin.”
“That’s ridiculous. Get a spine NBA.” another fan commented.
A fan agreeing with the other comments wrote, “3 games for a punch to the back of someone’s head is super light. Should be seeing this once a week if that’s all they get.”
Did the NBA make the right call? Was justice served, or was it unfair? Tell us what you think in the comments section.
