During the Pacers' 133-119 win over the Pistons, tempers flared when Detroit's Isaiah Stewart clobbered Pacers' Thomas Bryant, knocking the 7-footer to the ground.
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Isaiah Stewart EJECTED after flagrant foul 2 on Thomas Bryant 😳 pic.twitter.com/vJDkNb1rul
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 30, 2025
After review the refs ruled it a Flagrant 2, stating "there was wind-up, impact, and follow thru. The play is non-basketball related, unnecessary and excessive... Stewart has been ejected."
Isaiah Stewart is INSANE bruh lmaoo
Look at what he’s doing towards the Pacers bench 😭😭😭pic.twitter.com/HQXKzp2Om1
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) January 30, 2025
Upon hearing this, Stewart made his way to the locker room, while giving "gun" gestures directed at the Pacers bench.
On his way back to the locker room after being ejected, Isaiah Stewart “air shoots” towards the Pacers bench. pic.twitter.com/BPNZC9Lc3N
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) January 30, 2025
Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff insinuated that maybe there was some dialogue that led to Stewart reacting in this manner.
“There were things said tonight that crossed the line.”
Bickerstaff speaks on Isaiah Stewart’s ejection and the high emotion of tonight's game vs. the Pacers. #Pistons pic.twitter.com/LbecgzwmkR
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) January 30, 2025
"There's things that happen on the basketball court that you have to deal with. Then there are certain things that are said to you that are no longer about basketball," Bickerstaff said in the postgame interviews.
"When it crosses that line like it did tonight, you should be able to stand up for yourself," he continued. "There was things said tonight that absolutely crossed the line, past basketball to man-on-man stuff. And if someone says something like that to you that crosses the line, you should have every single right to do what you need to do to defend yourself."
All in all, Stewart's antics are nothing new as the Pistons/Pacers are known for their long-standing rivalry, dating back to when the Malice at the Palace took place during the 2004-2005 season.
The 2004 Pacers-Pistons brawl, known as "The Malice at the Palace", which resulted in nine player suspensions, $11 million in salary loss and five fans charged with assault. pic.twitter.com/LdRexTv42v
— Fascinating (@fasc1nate) January 16, 2025
During this season, the 23-year-old big man, who has taken on the reputation of being an "enforcer," is averaging a career-low 5.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 20 minutes per game.
Related: Spurs' Zach Collins Gestures Middle Finger To Ref After Getting Ejected
