HERE (Click)[/url]]NEW YORK (AP) -- Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson of Indiana and Ben Wallace of Detroit 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 were examining video tapes 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 fans 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 begin with the Pistons' next game, at home Sunday night against the Charlotte Bobcats.
``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 officials and players did not immediately comment Saturday.
Pistons spokesman 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.
Further action was expected to be taken Sunday by the league office.
The brawl was both shocking and 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.
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 three-minute melee ended, the referees called off the remainder of the game.
``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 instance of an NBA player going into the stands and punching a fan happened 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 were 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.
Earlier this month, Artest was benched for two games for asking Pacers 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 following a loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden 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.''
The melee escalated when Artest 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 in the melee and threw punches at fans, who punched back.
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.
``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.''
One of the half-dozen people treated for injuries at The Palace was taken to a hospital by ambulance and another sought treatment, police said.
``At this time, we don't have any indication of major injuries,'' Mynsberge said.
