18 years ago today, on December 16, 2006, during a game between the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, one of the NBA’s most infamous brawls broke out.
Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and the other nine players on the court at the time were ejected for fighting during the wild brawl that was triggered, in part, by a New York team that felt it was being shown up on its home floor.
The fight began with a flagrant foul by Knicks guard Mardy Collins on Nuggets guard J. R. Smith in the closing seconds of the game. Several players joined in the confrontation, and began to make physical contact.
The fight caused for some Malice in the Palace flashbacks, when it briefly spilled into the stands, and also stretched to the other end of the court. Anthony famously went for a cheap shot and started running. All ten players on the floor at the time were ejected after the altercation was finished.
NBA commissioner David Stern reacted with strict penalties for the players involved, stating,
“It is our obligation to take the strongest possible steps to avoid such failures in the future.”
Seven players were suspended for a total of 47 games, and the players lost in excess of $1.2 million in salary. Each team was also fined $500,000.
Because Anthony’s suspension was longer than 12 games, he was eligible to appeal to an arbitrator; however, Anthony eventually announced he would not attempt one, saying he did not “want to be a further distraction”.
