'Never talking about this sh-- again': Netflix docuseries to examine Malice at Palace
Remember when Detroit Pistons fans threw hands with a couple Indiana Pacers?
Of course\ you do. And those too young to remember the "Malice at the Palace" can get a prime look inside one of the wildest — and most violent — endings to an NBA game in league history.
A Nextflix docuseries in one of its episodes will feature the Nov. 19, 2004, brawl inside the Palace at Auburn Hills. The "Untold" trailer shows a lot of Ron Artest, former Pacers star now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest who first entered the stands that night, saying how he wants the full story out "frame by frame." It also features an animated Stephen Jackson who proclaims "I'm never talking about this sh-- again."
And who could blame him?
All told, one coach was trampled, five fans were criminally charged and banned for life from Pistons games, five players were charged, nine players were suspended and about 46 seconds of basketball never happened.
Emotions ran high, on the court, after fouled Artest fouled Pistons Hall of Famer Ben Wallace hard in a 15-point game with 45.9 seconds left. Indiana was finishing off a convincing win in the teams' first meeting since the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals, which the Pistons won.
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The two scuffled and had to be separated following the foul but thing eventually calmed down as players talked near halfcourt. Wallace and Artest began jawing as Wallace walked toward the bench and a fan then threw a drink at Artest.
The rest is a blur of punches and panic: Artest enters the stands. His teammates go in after him. Fans came onto the court. Refs call the game. Skirmishes continue as the teams try to leave the court, including a spectator throwing a folding chair that nearly hits Pacers big Jermaine O'Neal.
Neither Pistons coach Larry Brown, using a microphone, nor the public address announcer could convince the booing fans to leave. Eventually, police had to threaten arrest to any trespassers, and the Pacers escaped onto a team bus.
Indiana was awarded a 97-82 win, but the effects on the game were much larger than the result. Artest, then an exciting, young player on one of the better teams in the league was suspended for 86 games in total, spelling the beginning of the end to his time with the Pacers. The NBA over the next year mandated teams to have more security guards and restrict the size of alcoholic beverages while limiting alcohol sales to the first three quarters.
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Ten people (five players, four fans and Ben Wallace's brother, David) were charged and pleaded guilty to varying assault or battery charges.
Some blamed the players for the melee, some blamed the fans and the guy who threw the drink apologized in 2006 for the whole thing (and was the only person to serve jail time related to the incident).
For more, you'll have to check out Netflix on Aug. 10.
Follow the Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Tyler Davis can be contacted at tjdavis@freepress.com or on Twitter @TDavisFreep.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Untold' Netflix docuseries to examine Malice at Palace
