to me the message the NBA is sending is that if your a fan and you hate the opposing teams player all you have to do is get them to come into the stands and fight you then you can get your most hated rival suspended for the rest of the season. I bet the guy that threw the cup is real happy about what he did because the three best guys form a team he hates are gone fore the season or half of the season.
THe suspensions are just way too long. At the most the suspensions should be equal to what a court of law would sentence them to for whatever crime they were percieved to commit. If that were the case Artest wouldn't get any time because he was provoked into fighting. Just my opinion. Stephen Jackson should get the worst suspension in my mind because he wasn't provoked into the stands like Artes, instead he just decided to go in and let the fists fly, what an idiot. By the looks of it O'neal shouldnt't be suspended either cause he was on the floor and only attacked those who were trying to attack him or the assistant coach form the pacers. By the way I think that punch from O'neal was the best punch ever, that dumb piston fan deserved what he got. what kinda idiot challenges a huge NBA thug who was probably originally from the hood.
THe fat black guy that was throwing sucker punches at stephen jackson was Bewallaces brother and the two kids they showed, where one was crying and the other was stroking his head, were ben wallaces nephews, so the big dumb fat guy was supposed to be watching them instead of sucker punching people.
The lack of security was a complete joke and the detroit pistons should be fined because of it.