the video...

http://sdcc13.ucsd.edu/~echau/temp/FansVsPacers.WMV

and the article via the AP...

Shocking Riot Ends Pacers-Pistons Game

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Players and fans exchanged punches in the stands as an NBA game turned so ugly a police investigation was necessary. Indiana's Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson charged into the stands and fought with fans in the final minute of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, and the brawl forced an early end to the Pacers' 97-82 win.

"I felt like I was fighting for my life out there," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "I'm sorry the game had to end this way."

Officials stopped the game with 45.9 seconds remaining after pushing and shoving between the teams spilled into the stands once fans got involved by throwing things at the players near the scorer's table.

About three hours following the startling finish, Auburn Hills police walked out of a television trailer with videotapes gathered from various media outlets.

Officers interviewed witnesses at the arena in suburban Detroit, and planned to talk to the players involved in the melee.

"We'll put it all together, take it to the Oakland County Prosecutors Office and have them review it and they'll decide if there are any charges," Auburn Hills Deputy Chief Jim Mynsberge said. "I hope we can do it before Thanksgiving."

Mynsberge added: "At this time, we don't have any indication of major injuries."

That's probably the only fortunate fact.
"There's no place in the game for what went on with this incident," said Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations. "It was just an ugly scene."

Detroit's Larry Brown, who started coaching in 1972 after his playing career ended, said it was the ugliest thing he had seen as a coach or player.

After several minutes of players fighting with fans in the stands, a chair, beer, ice and popcorn were thrown at the Pacers as they made their way to the locker room in one of the scariest brawls in an NBA game.

It all started when Detroit's Ben Wallace went in for a layup and was fouled hard by Artest from behind, and escalated when Artest stormed into the stands after being hit by a full cup.

After being fouled, Wallace wheeled around and pushed Artest in the face. The benches emptied and punches were thrown.

As the players continued shoving each other near center court and coaches tried to restore order, Artest sprawled out on his back on the scorer's table, looking relaxed.

Just when it appeared tempers had died down, Artest was struck by a cup thrown from the stands and jumped up and charged into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.

"He was on top of me, pummeling me," fan Mike Ryan of Clarkston said. "He asked me, `Did you do it? I said, `No, man. No!'"

Jackson joined Artest in the melee and threw punches at fans, who punched back at them.

Security personnel and ushers tried to break it up. Former Pistons player Rick Mahorn, who was seated courtside as a Detroit radio analyst, tried to stop the brawl in the stands. Detroit's Rasheed Wallace and Indiana's David Harrison were also in or near the stands trying to break up the fights.

Later, a man in a Pistons jersey approached Artest on the court, shouting at him. Artest punched him in the face, knocking him to the floor. Teammate Jermaine O'Neal stepped in and punched another man who joined the scrum.

"The NBA is withholding comment until it can review the incident," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.

Players from both teams left the arena without comment.

Quentin Richardson of the Phoenix Suns watched the brawl on television.

"I have never seen a fight like that in a game since I was in high school," he said. "Man, there are going to be some lawsuits. You don't think some of those fans aren't going to want some NBA money?"

Police prevented reporters from crossing the loading dock to get to Indiana's locker room or the area where the Pacers' bus was located.

"I'm just embarrassed for our league and disappointed for our young people to see that," Brown said.

Artest has been involved in some bizarre situations, but his latest antics topped them all.

Earlier this month, he was benched for two games for asking Carlisle for time off because of a busy schedule that included promoting a soon-to-be released rap album.

Artest also destroyed television monitors at Madison Square Garden two years ago and missed the team flight to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at Detroit last season.

Before the contest was stopped, Artest had quite a game and the Pacers were dominating the defending NBA champions in their first meeting since the Eastern Conference finals.

Artest scored 17 of his 24 points in the first quarter and the Pacers led by 20 in the second. Detroit used a 9-0 outburst early in the fourth quarter to close within 82-77, but couldn't get closer.

Indiana's next game is Saturday night at home against Orlando, while Detroit hosts Charlotte on Sunday.

I saw this on the news. Totallly ridiculous, all the players and fans involved should be stuck into jail for a few years. A little harsh yes, but hey you don't just start this kind of crap over a little foul, you have to set an example here. It's sad to see how all these immature freaks are making all the money.

and that we're all poor...not that i'm saying that we're all more mature for our ages... :drink: :joker: :banana: :lmao:

people are so stupid these days, they have nothing better to do than fight and cause destruction over stupid sports games like those idiots a wvu.:censored: :mad::headbash: :stupid: :roll: :rolleyes:

NBA Suspends 3 Pacers, 1 Piston for Brawl

NEW YORK (AP) -- Indiana's Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson, and Detroit's Ben Wallace were suspended indefinitely by the NBA on Saturday for taking part in one of the ugliest brawls in U.S. sports history, a fight with fans that commissioner David Stern called "shocking, repulsive and inexcusable."

League officials and police were examining videotapes of Friday night's melee and interviewing witnesses. The NBA issued a statement saying it was reviewing rules and security procedures "so that fans can continue to attend our games unthreatened by events such as the ones that occurred last night."

Artest, O'Neal and Jackson - who all threw punches at spectators in the stands or on the court at the end of the nationally televised Pacers-Pistons game - were to begin serving their suspensions Saturday night, when Indiana hosted Orlando.

Wallace's suspension will start at home Sunday night against Charlotte, the next game for the reigning NBA champion Pistons.
The exact length of the four players' bans could be announced as early as Sunday.

"I didn't start it. I just played the game," Wallace said Saturday before learning of his suspension. "The league is going to do whatever they feel needs to be done, and I don't have no problems with that."

Pacers players did not immediately comment Saturday, but team CEO Donnie Walsh issued a statement saying, "responsibility for Friday night's action can be shared by many."

Pistons CEO Tom Wilson said the team plans to use "playoff-level security" starting with Sunday's game, doubling the number of armed police and increasing other arena security personnel by about 25 percent.
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.

"We'll put it all together, take it to the Oakland County prosecutor's office and have them review it and they'll decide if there are any charges," Auburn Hills Deputy Chief Jim Mynsberge said.

"The whole fiasco could take weeks to decide," Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said.

The next game between Indiana and Detroit is Dec. 25 at Indianapolis. The rivals, who met in the Eastern Conference finals last season, won't play each other in Auburn Hills, Mich., again until March 25.

The melee was the talk of the league Saturday. Violence at NBA arenas is rare, even among the few franchises - such as Detroit - that draw a more rough-and-tumble crowd to courtside seats than in other cities.

"I was in total shock. Unbelievable," said Mike Montgomery, who oversees security at Staples Center in Los Angeles. "You never expect something like that to happen. You prepare and train for an incident like that, but you never expect it."

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 remainder of the game. Pacers players were pelted with drinks, popcorn and other debris as they rushed to the locker room.

"This demonstrates why our players must not enter the stands, whatever the provocation or poisonous behavior of people attending the games," Stern said in his statement. "Our investigation is ongoing, and I expect it to be completed by tomorrow evening."

The most recent example of an NBA player going into the stands and punching a fan came in February 1995, when Vernon Maxwell of the Houston Rockets pummeled a spectator in Portland. The league suspended him for 10 games and fined him $20,000.

Among the harshest non-drug-related penalties in NBA history was a one-year suspension of Latrell Sprewell - later reduced to 68 games - for choking Golden State Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo at practice.

Kermit Washington of the Los Angeles Lakers drew a 60-day (26-game) suspension in 1977 for a punch that broke the jaw of the Houston Rockets' Rudy Tomjanovich during a game, while Dennis Rodman was suspended 11 games for kicking a courtside cameraman in the groin and six games for head-butting a referee.

Artest was benched for two games this month for asking Pacers coach Rick Carlisle for time off because of a busy schedule that included promoting a rap album.

Artest was suspended twice by the NBA last season, once for leaving the bench during a fracas at a Pacers-Celtics playoff game; the other for elbowing Portland's Derek Anderson. During the 2002-03 season, Artest was suspended five times by the NBA and once by the Pacers for a total of 12 games.

Artest also once grabbed a television camera and smashed it to the ground after a loss to the Knicks two years ago.

"People are putting all the burden on Artest, and I don't think that's fair," Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He's an easy target because of all the things he's been through. But some fans have gotten to a point where they think they can do or say anything."

Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said: "Do I think the fans should share some of the blame? Yeah. But as professionals, as NBA players, you cannot go into the stands."

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.

"He was on top of me, pummeling me," fan Mike Ryan of Clarkston said. "He asked me, 'Did you do it? I said, 'No, man. No!'"

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

Security personnel and ushers tried to break it up. Former Pistons player Rick Mahorn, who was seated courtside as a Detroit radio analyst, also stepped in.

"After the initial encounter on the court, the players were under control. As fans quickly became involved, the situation escalated," Walsh said. "More specifically, the safety of everyone present was compromised, and that is of great concern for us."

Two of the nine people treated for injuries were taken to a hospital, police said. Detectives planned to collect and analyze video footage, interview witnesses and examine medical records.

Bobcats guard Steve Smith isn't concerned about playing at the Palace on Sunday.

"Nah. No worries," Smith said. "It wasn't us in Detroit."

roudy idiots, lol:rolleyes: