Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart was suspended and fined by the NBA on Friday following a flagrant foul and subsequent inappropriate gestures during Wednesday's game against the Indiana Pacers. While Pistons fans received a Stewart bobblehead giveaway, they couldn't watch him play due to the suspension stemming from accumulated flagrant foul points.

The incident occurred when Stewart checked Pacers center Thomas Bryant as a shot went up, leading to Stewart's ejection. The league imposed a one-game suspension and a $50,000 fine for what they deemed "inappropriate and objectionable gestures" made by Stewart after his ejection. These gestures appeared to be finger guns directed towards the Pistons bench.

This flagrant foul was Stewart's sixth of the season, triggering the automatic suspension according to league protocols. Despite the incident, the Pistons distributed 5,000 Stewart bobbleheads to fans. The team's current 23-24 record places them eighth in the Eastern Conference, putting them in contention for the play-in tournament. This marks a significant improvement from the previous season, where the Pistons suffered a record-breaking 27-game losing streak, leading to the dismissal of then-coach Monty Williams.

The Pistons and Pacers share a history marked by the infamous "Malice at the Palace" brawl in 2004. Bryant had to be restrained by teammates after the foul, while Stewart quickly exited the court.