Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart has been suspended for one game without pay by the NBA due to repeated flagrant fouls this season, the league announced.
The 23-year-old, now in his fifth NBA campaign, will miss Detroit’s home game against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday due to the suspension.
Under NBA rules, players receive an automatic one-game suspension upon accumulating five flagrant foul “points” in a season. Stewart entered Wednesday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers with four points and was ejected with 8:45 remaining in the second quarter after receiving a flagrant foul 2 in Detroit’s 133-119 loss.
The incident occurred when Stewart struck Indiana centre Thomas Bryant with a right forearm to the chest, knocking him to the floor while watching the ball on a rebound.
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff defended Stewart, stating, “There are certain things that are said to you that are no longer about basketball. When it crosses that line, like it did tonight, you should be able to stand up for yourself.”
In addition to the suspension, Stewart was fined $50,000 for what the NBA deemed “inappropriate and objectionable gestures following his ejection.” Any future flagrant fouls this season could result in further suspensions of one or two games.
