Hornets' nine-game winning streak snapped in a game marred by fight

Charlotte had won nine straight games entering the Feb. 9, 2026 matchup with Detroit, and the Hornets were seeking a tenth consecutive victory when the teams met at the Spectrum Center [2][11]. The Pistons prevailed 110–104, but the game's defining incident occurred midway through the third quarter when Jalen Duren and Moussa Diabaté exchanged blows, Miles Bridges intervened and Isaiah Stewart left the bench to engage—producing four ejections and a heightened arena atmosphere that shifted attention away from Charlotte's streak-ending loss [2][3]. Game recaps note that while Brandon Miller and Cade Cunningham were the primary scorers for their teams that night, headlines centered on the melee and its disciplinary aftermath rather than the on-court statistical narratives [2].

The snapped nine-game streak is significant because it intersects with the brawl: a loss that would normally be analyzed in schematic or statistical terms instead became a marker in the rivalry due to the altercation and ensuing suspensions. For the Hornets it interrupted a momentum run; for the Pistons it provided a win that gained outsized attention because of the incident's disciplinary consequences [2][1].

In the immediate aftermath Charlotte media focused on both the end of the streak and the suspensions that followed; the Hornets had to recalibrate rotations while Bridges and Diabaté served multi-game suspensions and address public-relations work via apologies and statements [6][1][12]. Detroit likewise adjusted to the suspensions of its players and defended player responses in press comments, framing actions as teammate protection [3][1]. The combination of a snapped streak and a high-profile fight ensured the Feb. 9 game remained a recurring reference when the teams met later in the season [2][11].