The Malice at the Palace remains a famous incident in NBA history. Here is everything about the clash.
In NBA history, there are hundreds of incidents. One unexpected incident that took every fan by storm is the Malice at the Palace. In one 2004 NBA game, Indiana Pacers was in battle against the Detroit Pistons in a packed crowd at The Palace in Michigan. No one expected a brawl in this game and it began when Ben Wallace was deceived by Ron Artest.
The moment when the NBA turned into wrestling can never be forgotten. As soon as Ron Artest fouled Wallace, he was pushed by Wallace. There began a Malice between players of Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. Things became worse when one of the fans from the crowd threw a drink on Artest. Ron Artest bumped into the crowd and started attacking another fan. After a few minutes, the entire crowd and players started attacking others, and things went out of hand.
The cops reached The Palace arena in Auburn Hills and controlled the situation. The Malice at the Palace arena is a nightmare for many and one of the most popular incidents in the NBA. What’s surprising is the incident began when there was only a minute left in the game. When Artest punched fans, there were more drinks and bottles from the crowd.
Aftermath of Malice at the Palace NBA
The Malice at the Palace brawl will always have its name in the history of USA Sports unforgettable incidents. After the incident, 9 players were suspended. No player from the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons met the reporters after the Brawl. Ron Artest was suspended for 86 games and he lost $4.9 Million from his salary. Ben Wallace was banned for 5 games and $100k from his salary was cut. Fans of the Indiana Pacers named their team the Thugs. Popular singer Kid Rock and hockey player Chris Chelios attended the match, and called this unbelievable.
After the incident, NBA players were given more security and every arena has the best protection with increased security guidelines. The Malice at The Palace II inspired by the original Malice at the Palace took place 4 years later and this time it featured players from the WNBA.
Malice at the Palace Netflix Film
Many incidents from the NBA have actually been an inspiration for film directors and the “Malice at the Palace” is not an exception. The Malice at the Palace was adapted into a Netflix documentary film by the Players’ Tribune production. The story focuses on the infamous brawl of the NBA that took place on November 19, 2004, in a match between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons.
