The NBA has seen numerous brawls on the court over the years. To be honest, it might be safe to claim that we lost count of the number of times players fight it out. The NBA is one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world, and the fact that pressure and tensions are high goes without saying. This was certainly the case a few hours ago when with Moe Wagner and Killian Hayes at the Little Caesars Arena.
Moe Wagner vs. Killian Hayes. 😳
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 29, 2022
It was yet another fight that the NBA was not prepared for as Moe Wagner and Killian Hayes got into it. The point to note is that the brawl kickstarted so quickly that fans might have missed it even if they looked away for a few seconds.
Why did Moe Wagner punch Killian Hayes?
For those who did not watch the game, Detroit Pistons‘ Killian Hayes threw a punch at Moe Wagner in the second quarter. As Wagner and Hayes were both chasing a loose ball near the Pistons bench, the former decided to shove his opponent. Killian Hayes managed to get back on his feet and threw a punch to the back of Wagner’s head with his forearm. This was despite the Pistons staff’s best efforts.
This scene at the Magic-Pistons game 😳
Moe Wagner, Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo were all ejected after this altercation.pic.twitter.com/gGiA6BWz3O
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 29, 2022
That looked like it hurt Moe Wagner, as he fell on the Detroit players on the spot. Right before this, Hamidou Diallo also pushed Wagner to the Pistons bench. The altercation prompted the Orlando Magic players and coaching staff to stick up for Moe, as it became a full-on brawl from that point onward. However, after some time, Paolo Banchero and Markelle Fultz managed to get hold of Moe.
“Moe Wagner was still on the bench underneath everyone. Markelle was in there trying to help Moe Wagner out, so it was my responsibility to get our players away from the problem…”
Jamahl Mosley speaks on the altercation before halftime from his point of view 🎙 pic.twitter.com/oQfqo4ixcw
— Bally Sports Florida & Bally Sports Sun (@BallySportsFL) December 29, 2022
After reviewing the incident, the game’s officials decided that Wagner, Hayes, and Diallo would all be ejected for the incident. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley had his say on the altercation as well. He revealed that Wagner was doing fine, and claimed that his priority was getting him out from underneath the Pistons players.
Moreover, Mosley admitted that the reason for the Magic staff to run to the other bench was to get their players away from the scene. The NBA has not commented on the altercation as of now, but many have raised questions about whether players might face suspension or fines. We would have to wait to see how this situation plays out for Moe Wagner, Killian Hayes, and the rest of the parties involved.