Tempers flared in an NBA preseason game when a Detroit Pistons star lashed out at one of the league's biggest antagonists.

During a game between the Pistons and the Phoenix Suns, Detroit's John Collins was on the receiving end of some chippy moves by Dillon Brooks.

Five minutes into their game, Brooks tripped Collins - sending the forward falling to the court.

The Suns star then intentionally bumped Collins as he tried getting up, which wasn't seen by officials.

After getting to his feet, Collins was pushed by Brooks while waiting for a shot. When a Detroit shot finally came, Collins was there to grab the rebound - only to be violently hacked multiple times by Brooks, leading to officials calling a foul on the Suns player.

Having had enough, Collins retaliated by grabbing Brooks' throat and getting in his opponent's face.

Players on the floor gathered around the two in an attempt to restore order to the proceedings as officials and coaches separated the two players.

When the dust settled, Collins was assessed a personal foul while Brooks drew both a personal foul and a technical foul. Neither player was ejected from the game.

Fans reacted to the scenes on social media with disdain for Brooks' rage baiting.

'nah bro dillon doin way too much smdh chill tf out you got like a hundred more games to go,' wrote one user on X.

Another said, 'The tough guy gimmick is getting corny. It's time to get him out of the league.'

One user wondered, 'How long would the suspension be if you just decked him. I feel like it's worth it.'

Collins had the last laugh as the Pistons won 109-107. He finished with 10 points and three rebounds on 17 minutes of game time. Meanwhile, Brooks had eight points, five rebounds and four assists in 14 minutes.