The infamous "Malice at the Palace" fight needs a deep rewind | 2004 Pacers-Pistons

Comments · 2.1K

• ZA

  @zachpriddy8432 · 7 years ago

  To understand this story, we need to rewind a little further... Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith

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• KI

  @Kingnetty · 7 years ago

  The aim of the guy who threw the drink was impeccable lol

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• YU

  @yungotcha · 7 years ago

  this needs a full blown 30 for 30 2 hours long documentary

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• ED

  @eddiemac8804 · 7 years ago (edited)

  For those wondering what happened after the fight, here&apos;s a summary:<br><br>-The obvious: the game was called.<br>-Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, and Jermaine O&apos;Neal were all suspended indefinitely (Artest ended up getting suspended for the rest of the season, Jackson got 30 games, Jermaine O&apos;Neal got 15 games on appeal from a federal arbitrator.) Nine total players, including Reggie Miller and Chauncey Billups got suspended (Miller and Billups got one game each). <br>-Ten people in all faced (five Pacers players, five Pistons fans) were charged with assault and battery. John Green got the most severe sentence (found guilty on one count of assault and battery, he got 30 days in jail, 2 years probation, banned from all Pistons home games for life).<br>-Despite losing Artest for the whole season and Stephen Jackson for nearly half the season (and the Pacers being forced to dress an injured Jeff Foster just so they could meet the minimum eight players in uniform in one game or forfeit), the Pacers made the playoffs at 44-38. That was down from 61-21 a year prior.<br>-The Pacers even &quot;upset&quot; the 3rd seeded Celtics (who won their division with just 45 wins) in the first round. It would be their last playoff series win for seven years. They were knocked out in the next round by... wouldn&apos;t you know it... their Malice at the Palace companions, the Pistons... who would end up coming within a game of back-to-back NBA titles.

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• RA

  @rajaakkireddi2849 · 1 year ago

  You missed a crucial piece that Ben Wallace lost his mum only two days prior to this, he was in no state of mind to be tested

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• US

  @user-jv6pl1pc7t · 7 years ago

  Tim donaghy couldn&apos;t stop the fight because he was too busy trying to figure out if he can bet on the winner of the fight

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• GM

  @gm346553 · 7 years ago

  I had no idea how badly I wanted this Rewinder until I saw the title.

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• CA

  @CarsonCookee · 7 years ago

  Best part is how Chauncey Billups never got up from the bench.

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• ME

  @merciless41582 · 3 years ago

  This was the most intense rivalry in the NBA in the early 2000s. This incident killed in the Pacers franchise for several years, and put a dagger in any chance of them being a dynasty. The Pistons and Pacers hated each other back then. You have to remember, this incident happened just 5 months after the 2003-2004 Eastern Conference Finals when the Pistons eliminated the favored Pacers. The Pacers had won 61 games that season, they were the number 1 overall seed in the playoffs, and many believed they were the favorite to win the NBA title. Ron Artest was playing like a top 3 player in the NBA, they had a deep bench, Jermaine O Neal was a baller, Stephen Jackson was a baller, Jamaal Tinsley was a baller. They were a complete and solid team on both sides of the ball. <br><br><br>Fast forward 5 months later. The Pacers were the favorites once again to win the of the Eastern Conference. Jermaine O&apos;Neal was solidifying himself as a MVP candidate. Ron Artest would&apos;ve easily won Defensive Player of the Year. They already steamrolled out the gate to a solid record, and they took it to the Pistons in this game. Slaughtered them, and the game wasn&apos;t even close. Then the Malice at the Palace happens. This incident killed the Pacers season, they fell off a cliff, and they never would be the same again after this. In fact they wouldn&apos;t have a winning record until the 2011-12 7 years later. Had this incident not happened, I think the Pacers would&apos;ve been a dynasty team much like what the Warriors have been. They were that damn good.

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• NI

  @nickmoore4880 · 7 years ago

  This happened 14 years ago but it&apos;s great that the video quality makes it look like it happened in 1974.

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• MA

  @martinbrizuela9232 · 7 years ago

  Nice rewind but why not show the whole fight and the aftermath?

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• JJ

  @jjmah7 · 7 years ago

  If I was Ron Artest, I also would’ve tried to fight a fan instead of Ben Wallace

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