On Monday night, the Detroit Pistons secured a significant victory, yet the focus shifted due to a heated incident involving center Jalen Duren. During the Pistons vs. Charlotte Hornets game, the Pistons big man turned an ejection into a viral scene that quickly spread across social media.
The incident occurred with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter at Spectrum Center. Duren attacked the rim and absorbed a hard foul from Hornets forward Moussa Diabate. The contact escalated into a confrontation, with words exchanged and tempers flaring before officials intervened.
Referees ultimately ejected four players. Duren and Isaiah Stewart were sent off for Detroit, while Diabaté and Miles Bridges were ejected for Charlotte. Despite the chaos, the Pistons regrouped and secured a 110-104 victory, snapping the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak.
Detroit’s resurgence carried added weight as the victory reinforced playoff momentum, revived the franchise’s gritty reputation, and showcased a young core willing to defend teammates while thriving under pressure collectively.
SM Highlights shared a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) that captured Duren walking toward the locker room and holding up his jersey to display “DETROIT” to the crowd, with a caption that invoked the franchise's physical legacy and Bad Boy identity.
“Jalen Duren got ejected, as he was walking back into the locker room he was showing ‘DETROIT’ on his jersey. Bad Boy Pistons are back 🔥”
Jalen Duren got ejected, as he was walking back into the locker room he was showing “DETROIT” on his jersey.
Bad Boy Pistons are back 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sgZQ1XnOC0
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) February 10, 2026
The moment carried even more weight given where the Pistons stand in the Eastern Conference. Detroit currently sits in first place in the East, owning the league’s best record at 39–13 and establishing itself as a legitimate championship contender. The win over Charlotte not only snapped the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak but also reinforced Detroit’s grip atop the standings as the season moves toward its final stretch.
League officials will review the altercation, with Stewart facing potential discipline due to leaving the bench. Suspensions could follow, but the Pistons' message was clear. Physicality and unity remain central to its identity.
For Detroit, the win mattered beyond the scoreboard. Duren’s defiant exit symbolized a cultural shift as the team pushes deeper into the Eastern Conference race.
