Four players were ejected after a mass brawl as the Detroit Pistons beat the Charlotte Hornets 110-104 in a bad-tempered NBA fixture.
Detroit’s Jalen Duren was fouled by Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate during the third quarter, with the pair then confronting one another and appearing to butt heads.
Diabate had to be held back as he tried to hit Duren, before several other players got involved in the incident.
Detroit forward Isaiah Stewart confronted Charlotte’s Miles Bridges and put him in a headlock before appearing to strike him multiple times.
The brawl lasted about 30 seconds, ending with a brief police presence on the floor.
Diabate, Duren, Stewart and Bridges were ejected – and Hornets coach Charles Lee was kicked out in the fourth quarter after he had to be restrained while angrily shouting at the officials having disagreed with a decision.
“Emotions were flaring. At the end of the day, we would love to keep it basketball, but things happen. Everybody was just playing hard,” Duren said after the match.
“This isn’t the first time that people have tried to be like extra aggressive with us and talk to us, whatever the case may be.
“At the end of the day, emotions got high with everybody being competitive. Things happen.”
Bridges later apologised to fans, writing on Instagram: “Sorry Hornets nation! Sorry Hornets Organization! Always going to protect my team-mates forever.”
Lead official John Goble said in a post-game report the players were ejected because they “engaged in fighting activity during the dead ball”.
“After review, we assessed fighting fouls, and by rule, they were ejected from the game,” he added.
Lee, asked about the clash between Diabate and Duren that triggered the wider brawl, said: “Two guys got in a heated conversation and then it kind of spiralled from there.”
Of his own ejection in the fourth quarter, Lee added: “I’ve got to have a little bit better emotional control in that moment.”
Elsewhere, Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry will miss Sunday’s All-Star game with an injury to his right knee.
However, the Warriors are hopeful Curry will return after the All-Star break for the game against the Boston Celtics on 19 February.
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