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17 Years Ago Today, The NBA’s Biggest Brawl ‘Malice At The Palace’ Took Place 

Today marks the 17th anniversary of Malice at the Palace.

Malice at the Palace was “the most infamous brawl in NBA history. With less than a minute left in the game, a fight broke out on the court between several players. After the fight was broken up, a fan threw a drink from the stands at Pacers player Ron Artest while he was lying on the scorer’s table. Artest then entered the crowd and sparked a massive brawl between players and fans that stretched onto the court.

After the game, the NBA suspended nine players for a total of 146 games, which led to $11 million in salary being lost by the players. Five players were also charged with assault, and eventually sentenced to a year of probation and community service. Five fans also faced criminal charges and were banned from attending Pistons home games for life.