Pistons/Pacers

[Kevin]

I posted a link the other day, and on the other side of that link was another link to the worlds greatest basketball brawls....LOL...theres more of them than you think.

i'll definately watch them tomorrow before the game, it's just growing up in the City of Brotherly love, the great days of Dr. J are all said and done, and all were left with is a ghetto punk like Iverson. i've had the great honor of going to 2 Harlem Globetrotter games in my life.. but thats the extent of my enjoyment of basketball. so ultimately, i just don't like the sport :p:
kevin

[Kevin]

Artest suspended for the rest of the season without pay.. how's that for 'court' justice :p: what a fruit

[mixmaster_matt]

Pacers lose O'Neal for 25 games, Jackson for 30

Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Ron Artest was suspended for the rest of the season Sunday as the NBA came down hard on three members of the Indiana Pacers for fighting with fans when a melee broke out at the end of a game against the Detroit Pistons.

Overall, nine players from the teams were banned for 143 games, including some of the harshest penalties the league ever issued. Artest is the first player to be suspended for nearly an entire season for a fight during a game.

NBA's Longest Suspensions
Games Player and Team Reason and Year
72 Ron Artest, Pacers Fought with fans at Detroit, 2004
68 Latrell Sprewell, Warriors "Physically assaulted" coach, 1997
30 Stephen Jackson Fought with fans at Detroit, 2004
26 Kermit Washington, Lakers Punched Rudy Tomjanovich, 1977
25 Jermaine O'Neal, Pacers Fought with fans at Detroit, 2004
11 Dennis Rodman, Bulls Kicked courtside TV photographer, 1997
10 games Vernon Maxwell, Rockets Hit fan in stands, 1995

Indiana's Stephen Jackson was suspended for 30 games and Jermaine O'Neal for 25. Detroit's Ben Wallace -- whose shove of Artest after a foul led to the 5-minute fracas -- drew a six-game ban, while Pacers guard Anthony Johnson got five games.

Four players were suspended for a game apiece: Indiana's Reggie Miller, and Detroit's Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman.

All of the suspensions are without pay.

Artest, O'Neal and Jackson -- who all threw punches at fans in the stands or on the court at the end of the nationally televised Pacers-Pistons game Friday night -- began serving their suspensions Saturday. Indiana, limited to just six players because of the suspensions and injuries, dropped an 86-83 decision to Orlando.

"The actions of the players involved wildly exceeded the professionalism and self-control that should fairly be expected from NBA players," NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement, adding that the league must not "allow our sport to be debased by what seem to be declining expectations."

The NBA also has to "redefine the bounds of acceptable conduct for fans attending our games and resolve to permanently exclude those who overstep those bounds," Stern said.

He added that security procedures in all NBA arenas will be reviewed and rules need to be added to prevent a repeat of what happened at Auburn Hills, Mich., on Friday.

The brawl was particularly violent, with Artest and Jackson bolting into the stands near center court and throwing punches at fans after debris was tossed at the players.

Later, fans who came onto the court were punched in the face by Artest and O'Neal.

Nine people were treated for injuries, and police are investigating possible criminal charges.

Wallace began the fracas by delivering a hard, two-handed shove to Artest after Wallace was fouled on a drive to the basket with 45.9 seconds remaining. After the fight ended, the referees called off the rest of the game.

The initial skirmish wasn't all that bad, with Artest retreating to the scorer's table and lying atop it after Wallace sent him reeling backward. But when a fan tossed a cup at Artest, he stormed into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.

Jackson joined Artest and threw punches at fans, who punched back. At one point, a chair was tossed into the fray.

[loganss]

Those fans were a bunch of idiots and deserved the beat down on tv. What would make you do something sooo stupid? Probably the liqour made him think he was invincible.

Anyone gonna post a link to the whole fight?

XLerate93: that clip shows the best punch I've seen in a while. It looked like he was sliding and still connected well. That guy went down like a ton of bricks.

If you guys like sprorts fight look up the clemson/south carolina football fight f%#$ing wonderful

[XLerate93]

I found this, but I haven't watched the clip I don't know what it shows.

http://msn.foxsports.com/

Main article, to the right, it says "The Brawl: Photos | Video"

[XLerate93]

This is probably the funniest one.



Caption: " Fan in the fight
A Detroit Pistons fan lies on the floor after being hit by both the Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest during the altercation."

[loganss]

Piston/Pacers fight Links (some repeats):

http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/3935750/detail.html

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/motion/showcase/index?videos=1927343

http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3181934?GT1=5713 (scroll down to video link)

[Kelly]

I think the suspensions were way to brutal. Artest really didnt throw any punches until that fat guy stepped to him talking **** on court. And jackson and oneill were just protecting their guy. If you watch, jackson had atleast one hand on artest the whole time.

[Tweeaks]

That video was hilarious, and I too think the penalties were too harsh. What can you do when they wanna make "examples" out of people though.

[Kevin]

40% of NBA players have a criminal record, what would you expect watching basketball? i just found that out and shocked me people would let their little kids watch ex-cons and look up to as role models
kevin

[Kelly]

I wonder what the percentage is when queried as to how many have cases pending...Ive seen at least 3 on the news this week.

[Kevin]

criminal record.. pending or not, they're thugs :p:. kinda puts the nfl to shame, but they're not much better

[loganss]

That more reason, as a fan, not to do somethin so incredible stupid as throwing a cup of beer at a basketball player. That guy must've thought he was superman.

Of all the cameras there I'll be pissed if they can't identify the guy that threw the cup. I read some articles saying Artest punched the wrong guy.

[mixmaster_matt]

bull****, those penalties were fine. So artest can back away from Wallace but attack a fan, especially a fan that didn't do anything. The man that he attacked didn't throw the cup, the women to the left of him did. And no matter what happens, you don't go into the fans. And Jermaine O'Neal should be out longer, b/c he is a ****in pussy for that cheap shot on the guy. Real tough, punching a guy when he isn't looking. Takes a real man to do that.