Report: NBA slaps brawlers with lengthy suspensions
Monday November 22, 08:01 AM
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DETROIT, United States (AFP) - Indiana Pacers star Ron Artest has been suspended 30 games and two teammates were suspended 20 games each for their parts in an ugly brawl between players and spectators at a National Basketball Association game, a television station here reported.
WDIV-TV reported that Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson, who followed teammate Artest into the stands and threw punches at spectators, would be banished for 20 games each in addition to the harsher ban for Artest.
Artest was laying on a table when struck by a drink cup hurled by a spectator. He rose and raced into the stands, scuffling with a spectator to begin the melee.
The station also reported that Detroit's Ben Wallace, whose shove of Artest touched off the events that resulted in the nightmare spectacle, would be suspended for five games.
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The station reported the lengths of the suspension had been decided but there was no official confirmation of the report by NBA officials, although an announcement regarding suspensions could come as early as Sunday night.
Calling it a "humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA," league commissioner David Stern said Saturday that Artest, O'Neal, Jackson and Wallace had been suspended indefinitely.
The brawl Friday night halted Indiana's victory with 45.9 seconds remaining as players were escorted into their locker rooms by guards while being pelted with plastic bottles, drink cups and other garbage
