A matchup between the two worst teams in the Eastern Conference isn’t one that’s going to get fans from around the world to tune in and catch the action. Well, the Pistons and Magic went out of their way to deliver what might have been the craziest on-court fight of the season.
We haven’t seen anything comparable to Isaiah Stewart battering ram his teammates and coaches last season because he got elbowed by LeBron James. This time, a different Piston, Killian Hayes, got upset at an unsportsmanlike shove from Moritz Wagner which resulted in Hayes knocking Wagner out with one punch. Fans were shocked to see this happen.
People are naturally going to default to complaining about the punch but Wagner was clearly the one to instigate the fight. Hayes will probably get suspended for a few games because of this but if punishments are to be handed out, both players should get something or neither player should be penalized.
Are Punishments Really Necessary?
On a night in the NBA where Grayson Allen almost got into a fight with DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valuncuinas with Austin Rivers, it seems tempers are pretty high tonight. Mo Wagner shouldn’t have pushed Hayes when the pair were running up for the ball, it’s an incredibly dirty move on his part.
Hayes might have felt the need to retaliate but didn’t have to in the way that he did. He may feel like he was defending himself but nobody will look at that situation in that light. He threw a punch to the back of the head, always a risky move. Punishments are bound to fall on both players for this incident, as has happened before.
Source: fadeawayworld
