With around 10 minutes to go in the second quarter, New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was back to his usual exploits in the paint. However, as is the case with rampaging beasts in the paint, the opposition usually has to concede an easy layup due to Williamson's strength and leaping ability or foul him hard just to prevent him from launching a high-percentage shot.

You will never guess which choice Detroit Pistons guard Alec Burks made in the second quarter of their Wednesday night contest.

Burks, a 214-pound guard, faced the unenviable task of stopping the 284-pound Zion Williamson underneath the rim. Afraid to concede an easy dunk or layup, Burks pulled Williamson all the way down to the ground just as Zion was beginning to take off. To the 31-year old guard's credit, he did not recklessly throw Williamson onto the hardwood, as the veteran cushioned the young superstar's fall all the way.

Still, that did not prevent tempers from flaring after Naji Marshall gave Alec Burks a shove, perhaps to remind him that no one should dare try to hurt the Pelicans' franchise cornerstone.

In the aftermath, Burks was called for a regular foul instead of a flagrant infraction despite all of the unnecessary contact. Maybe the referees deemed that the Pistons guard was going for the ball? Meanwhile, a technical foul was called on Marshall for his involvement in escalating the situation. Overall, the Pelicans and Pistons scored the same number of points during the possession after Zion Williamson split his free throws.

At the time of writing, the Pelicans are holding on to a slim lead over the Pistons early in the fourth quarter, with Zion Williamson leading all scorers with 24 points.