Cade Cunningham led everyone with 33 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the visiting Detroit Pistons held on for a 110-104 win over the Charlotte Hornets Monday night in a game marred by a massive third-quarter brawl.

The fighting resulted in four ejections prior to the Pistons winning for the seventh time in their last nine games and the Hornets seeing an end to their nine-game winning streak.

It began with a confrontation when Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate fouled Detroit’s Jalen Duren across the arms while trying to stop a shot attempt in the paint. Duren turned to square up with Diabate and issued a slap that set Diabate off. When that scrap wound down, another broke out near midcourt with the main participants being Charlotte’s Miles Bridges and Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart, who came off the bench.

By the end of the fighting, the mayhem spread across most of the court. Diabate, Bridges, Duren and Stewart were ejected at the 7:09 mark of the third quarter — at which point the Pistons owned a 70-62 lead.

Duncan Robinson provided 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting, Duren had 15 points in 20 minutes and Paul Reed added 12 points for the Pistons.

Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 24 points while Kon Knueppel, who made five 3-pointers, and LaMelo Ball added 20 points apiece. Diabate was scoreless in 19 minutes, though he had a team-high six rebounds.

Charlotte held a 57-15 advantage in 3-point scoring, with the Pistons going 5-for-25 from long range. Nineteen of the Hornets’ 34 field goals were threes.

Shortly after the brawl, the Pistons pushed their lead to 85-69 on a pair of Reed free throws with 4:31 to go in the third.

Charlotte gradually carved into the margin and Miller’s jumper, followed by two free throws with 1:36 to play, closed the gap to 104-100. Miller had a chance to make it closer on the next possession, but he missed a 3-point attempt. Knueppel grabbed the rebound, but also missed a 3-point try.

Tobias Harris, who finished with 11 points, converted at the other end with a short jumper.

The Hornets were 17-for-17 on free throws.

The teams will meet again April 10 in Charlotte. The Pistons won a December matchup at home.

–Field Level Media

Tight end David Njoku revealed in an Instagram post on Monday night that he will enter free agency and not return to the Cleveland Browns.

Njoku, 29, has played all nine of his NHL seasons in Cleveland. He ranks second among Browns tight ends in all-time touchdowns (34) and pass receptions (384). Only Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome (47; 662) amassed more, from 1978-90.

“Cleveland, first off I love you,” wrote Njoku in his post. “These nine years have been a beautiful journey. I’m am so grateful for all the memories we shared together. Thank you to The Haslams, Andrew Berry and the whole browns organization for everything!! All my teammates I shared the battle with I’m so grateful for you guys. The time for me to find a new home has come and all I can think of is just the gratefulness in my heart. The city of Cleveland will forever be home.”

Under new coach Todd Monken, general manager Berry and the Browns will look to revamp an offense that has scored the fewest points in the league over the past two seasons combined. There is uncertainly at quarterback, with first-year players Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel plus oft-injured veteran Deshaun Watson on current roster.

Njoku, a 2017 first-round selection (29th overall) from the University of Miami (Fla.) made an immediate impact, hauling in 88 receptions for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns in his first two pro seasons. He peaked in 2023, accumulating career bests for catches (81), yards (882) and touchdowns (six) and earned his lone Pro Bowl selection.

However, he missed 11 total games in 2024 and 2025 due to injury and his production slipped. This past season, rookie Harold Fannin Jr. became the prime target at tight end, catching 72 balls for 731 yards and six touchdowns while Njoku finished with 33 receptions for 293 yards and four scores.

–Field Level Media

Nic Claxton collected a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets executed in the final minutes of the fourth quarter after losing a 15-point lead in the third and earned a 123-115 victory over the Chicago Bulls Monday night in New York.

The Nets won consecutive games for the third time this season thanks to Claxton, who made 12 of 15 shots and surpassed his previous career high of 28 set against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 26, 2023. He recorded his 10th double-double and added four assists.

Claxton’s big night helped the Nets improve to 2-9 this season when Michael Porter Jr. is held out. Porter sat due to right knee tendinitis and rookie Egor Demin was rested.

Noah Clowney added 22 points as the Nets placed six in double figures and withstood blowing their big lead in the third.

Rookie Drake Powell added 14 and the Nets also got solid showings from first-year forward Danny Wolf and rookie guard Nolan Traore. Wolf contributed 13 while Traore finished with 13 and a career-high 13 assists.

Ziaire Williams added 11 off the bench as the Nets shot 51.1% and 48% from 3 (12 of 25), scored 66 points in the paint and survived committing 20 turnovers.

The Bulls dropped their fifth straight and fell for the eighth time in nine games.

Anfernee Simons led Chicago with 23 points and fellow newcomer Collin Sexton added 21 off the bench. Matas Buzelis contributed 18, Jaden Ivey had 13 and reserve Nick Richards finished with 12 for Chicago.

The Bulls shot 44%, missed 26 of 36 3-point tries and committed 18 turnovers in their third loss to the Nets this season.

Claxton scored 10 points in Brooklyn’s 15-3 spurt, his consecutive dunks putting the Nets ahead 51-43 with 3:50 left. They led 60-54 at the break.

The Nets’ largest lead was 74-59 early in the third quarter and they held a 14-point lead on a 3 by Powell with 4:27 left before the Bulls scored 16 of the final 18 points of the third to forge an 89-89 deadlock entering the fourth.

Terance Mann hit an open 3 for a 109-102 lead with 5:19 left following an errant pass by Simons. Claxton’s putback of Clowney’s miss opened a 117-107 lead with 1:57 left to clinch it for Brooklyn.

–Field Level Media