The Pistons and Magic are two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference this season, but emotions ran high when they faced off on Wednesday.
During the first half of the game in Detroit, the Pistons held a nearly 20-point lead over the Magic. Orlando’s Mo Wagner, who attended college nearby at Michigan, attempted to pick up a loose ball in transition. During this effort, he seemingly shoved Detroit’s Killian Hayes off the court as the ball went out of bounds.
Hayes tripped and fell as Wagner suddenly found himself in enemy territory on Detroit’s bench. He was briefly mixed up with opponents on the sidelines when Hayes stood up and struck him in the back of his head.
Things got heated between the Magic and Pistons 😳 pic.twitter.com/5IiZBoBZYx
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 29, 2022
Wagner’s knees buckled as the punch appeared to knock him out cold.
The two teams had to be separated following the altercation and once emotions finally calmed, the referees issued their verdict.
Despite getting knocked out, Wagner was issued a Flagrant-2 for his actions on the court and he was ejected from the game. Considering that Wagner was potentially knocked unconscious, it would have been surprising if he could have returned to the floor.
Detroit’s Hayes, as well as his teammate Hamidou Diallo, were both issued technical fouls and ejected for their roles in escalating the altercation.
Hayes will likely get suspended at least one game for striking Wagner.
