Jonas Valanciunas is barely back at work, and he’s already getting into trouble. Things went sideways in the first quarter between the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets. With less than four minutes left, the Lithuanian star got tangled with Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, and it only got uglier from there.

While attempting to block a shot by Stewart, Valanciunas got him in a chokehold. It all looked accidental until he flung Stewart aside. The Pistons star, who has a history of being short-tempered, was not impressed, yet he walked away casually. Instead, his teammate, Duren, rushed to his defense.

While the announcers were amused, an argument between the two players turned into a shoving match. At least Stewart walked away from the fight, but the scuffle required players from both benches to intervene.

The headlock happened barely two feet away from the referee. So Valanciunas got an instant Flagrant 1 foul for excessive, unnecessary contact. The Pistons duo was not penalized. No ejections were made.

Despite the scuffle, Jamal Murray scored 13 points in the quarter, but the Nuggets trailed 32-27 heading into the second.

Valanciunas, who’s had an epic return as Nikola Jokic‘s reliable backup, needs to be careful to avoid suspensions and further injuries.

Jonas Valanciunas rallies the Denver Nuggets without Nikola Jokic

The Nuggets started 2026 losing both Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas in back-to-back games. Valanciunas suffered a calf strain during the New Year’s game, which kept him out for three weeks. The Nuggets, however, went on to win six of 11 games without both centers.

Valanciunas expedited his return to the court a little earlier than expected. In his first game back, he racked up eight quick points and four rebounds in the first six minutes, giving the Nuggets a double-digit lead over the Washington Wizards. The center played 22 minutes and finished with 16 points and nine rebounds in a 107-97 victory.

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Returning after a three-week absence is a tough adjustment, and the competition hasn’t stood still. In that time, his opponent, Jalen Duren, has been busy shedding the ‘bad defender’ label, earning his first career All-Star nod and a Slam Dunk contest invitation, raising the bar for Valanciunas’s return.

“I missed some time, so I need to get into game shape,” Valanciunas said after the 109-107 loss to the Pistons on January 27. “It’s going to take a little bit of time, but I feel good just playing basketball. That’s what I’m happy to do, so it was great to be with the guys and play basketball.”

Tonight, Valanciunas had to right the scales with the team. While his hustle is exactly what the short-handed Nuggets need, Valanciunas will have to channel that aggression more productively to avoid suspensions and stay on the court.