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It appears the Indiana Pacers will pay a heavy price for Friday's embarrassing melee.
WDIV-TV is reporting that Ron Artest of the Pacers will be suspended for 30 games and teammates Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson will be suspended 20 games apiece for their roles in Friday's ugly brawl against the Detroit Pistons that saw players taking on fans both on and off the court.
According to WDIV, center Ben Wallace of the Pistons will be banned for five games.
Calling it a "humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA," commissioner David Stern announced Saturday that Artest, O'Neal, Jackson and Wallace have been suspended indefinitely.
Stern is expected to specifically announce the length of suspensions for each player by Sunday night.
Jackson, Artest and O'Neal all landed their share of punches in the Pacers' 97-82 victory over the Pistons, a game that had to be called with 45 seconds remaining.
Reacting to fans who had thrown everything from plastic bottles to chairs at them, Jackson, Artest and O'Neal, among others, went into the stands to retaliate.
Stern issued a statement Saturday.
"The events at last night's (Friday) game were shocking, repulsive and inexcusable -- a humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA," the statement said. "This demonstrates why our players must not enter the stands whatever the provocation of poisonous behavior of people attending the games." In addition to the actions of the league, players also are facing the possibility of arrests.
Jackson climbed into the seats and landed a roundhouse right that floored a fan next to another fan who had thrown a plastic beer bottle at Artest, hitting him in the face.
Fans continued to throw things and verbally accost members of the Pacers. Several came onto the court and one took a fighting stance against Artest, who dropped him with a punch. O'Neal ran over and floored another fan with a righthanded blow.
"That was the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life as a coach or player," Pistons coach Larry Brown said Friday. "I'm just embarrassed for our league and disappointed being a part of this with young people seeing that."
Detroit forward Rasheed Wallace and radio announcer Rick Mahorn went into the stands to try to break things up. Referee Tommy Nunez Jr. was clipped in the head with a thrown bottle, opening a cut.
The game was called, which forced the Pacers to make their way through a gauntlet of angry fans who continued to throw objects despite pleas from Brown. Players and team officials were showered with beer, soda and popcorn. No players from either team spoke with the media.
With 45 seconds left, Artest fouled Wallace, who clearly overreacted and shoved Artest with a chokehold.
Artest walked away but was followed by Wallace, who had to be restrained. While players from both teams jawed at each other and order was being restored, Artest lay down on the scorer's table when he was hit with the bottle, and the Palace looked like a prison riot.
WDIV-TV is reporting that Ron Artest of the Pacers will be suspended for 30 games and teammates Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson will be suspended 20 games apiece for their roles in Friday's ugly brawl against the Detroit Pistons that saw players taking on fans both on and off the court.
According to WDIV, center Ben Wallace of the Pistons will be banned for five games.
Calling it a "humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA," commissioner David Stern announced Saturday that Artest, O'Neal, Jackson and Wallace have been suspended indefinitely.
Stern is expected to specifically announce the length of suspensions for each player by Sunday night.
Jackson, Artest and O'Neal all landed their share of punches in the Pacers' 97-82 victory over the Pistons, a game that had to be called with 45 seconds remaining.
Reacting to fans who had thrown everything from plastic bottles to chairs at them, Jackson, Artest and O'Neal, among others, went into the stands to retaliate.
Stern issued a statement Saturday.
"The events at last night's (Friday) game were shocking, repulsive and inexcusable -- a humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA," the statement said. "This demonstrates why our players must not enter the stands whatever the provocation of poisonous behavior of people attending the games." In addition to the actions of the league, players also are facing the possibility of arrests.
Jackson climbed into the seats and landed a roundhouse right that floored a fan next to another fan who had thrown a plastic beer bottle at Artest, hitting him in the face.
Fans continued to throw things and verbally accost members of the Pacers. Several came onto the court and one took a fighting stance against Artest, who dropped him with a punch. O'Neal ran over and floored another fan with a righthanded blow.
"That was the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life as a coach or player," Pistons coach Larry Brown said Friday. "I'm just embarrassed for our league and disappointed being a part of this with young people seeing that."
Detroit forward Rasheed Wallace and radio announcer Rick Mahorn went into the stands to try to break things up. Referee Tommy Nunez Jr. was clipped in the head with a thrown bottle, opening a cut.
The game was called, which forced the Pacers to make their way through a gauntlet of angry fans who continued to throw objects despite pleas from Brown. Players and team officials were showered with beer, soda and popcorn. No players from either team spoke with the media.
With 45 seconds left, Artest fouled Wallace, who clearly overreacted and shoved Artest with a chokehold.
Artest walked away but was followed by Wallace, who had to be restrained. While players from both teams jawed at each other and order was being restored, Artest lay down on the scorer's table when he was hit with the bottle, and the Palace looked like a prison riot.
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