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The following suspensions were announced today by NBA Commissioner David Stern, resulting from the events during the Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons game on Nov. 19.

- Pacers forward Ron Artest has been suspended for the remainder of the season.

- Indiana guard Stephen Jackson has been suspended for 30 games.

- Pacers forward Jermaine O’Neal has been suspended for 25 games.

- Indiana guard Anthony Johnson has been suspended for five games.

- Detroit forward/center Ben Wallace has been suspended for six games.

- Pistons forwards Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman and guard Chauncey Billups have each been suspended for one game for leaving the bench during an on-court altercation.

Indiana guard Reggie Miller has been suspended for one game for leaving the bench during an on-court altercation.

In announcing today’s actions Commissioner David Stern issued the following statement:

“The penalties issued today deal only with one aspect of this incident – that of player misconduct. The actions of the players involved wildly exceeded the professionalism and self-control that should fairly be expected from NBA players. We must affirm that the NBA will strive to exemplify the best that can be offered by professional sports, and not allow our sport to be debased by what seem to be declining expectations for behavior of fans and athletes alike.

“There are other issues that the NBA must urgently focus on at this time. First, we must redefine the bounds of acceptable conduct for fans attending our games and resolve to permanently exclude those who overstep those bounds. Participants in and around the court must be assured complete protection from unacceptable fan behavior. Second, we must re-examine the adequacy of our current security procedures in Detroit and our other 28 arenas. The actions at Friday’s game, though unprecedented, must now be factored into all efforts to guarantee the well-being of our fans. Third, we must develop and implement new NBA rules to assure that the unavoidable confrontations likely to occur in the heat of competition are not allowed to escalate to the level we witnessed on Friday even prior to the egregious behavior by individuals in the stands.”



Washington-Chicago: October 27, 2004

The following suspensions and fine were announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President Basketball Operations, resulting from an altercation during the Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls game on October 25.

Wizards center Brendan Haywood has been suspended three games without pay for his role in an altercation with Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich and subsequently throwing punches and fighting with Bulls forward/center Antonio Davis. Washington guard Larry Hughes has been suspended one game without pay for initiating an altercation with Hinrich by head-butting him and for his role in the subsequent altercation. Haywood and Hughes will begin serving their suspensions with the Wizards first game of the 2004-05 NBA regular season on Wednesday, November 3 against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.

Chicago forward/center Antonio Davis has been suspended two games without pay for punching and fighting with Haywood, and Bulls forward/center Eddy Curry has been suspended two games without pay for throwing a punch at Haywood and his role in the altercation. Hinrich has been fined $10,000 for his role in the altercation and shoving Hughes. Davis and Curry will begin serving their suspensions with the Bulls first game of the 2004-05 NBA regular season on Friday, November 5 when they host the New Jersey Nets at United Center.

The incident occurred with 3:22 remaining in the third period of the Bulls 100-95 win over the Wizards at United Center on Monday, October 25.

Paul Pierce Fined

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce has been fined $15,000 for spitting at the Cleveland Cavaliers bench, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with :32 remaining in the third period of the Celtics 95-88 loss to the Cavaliers on Monday, October 25 at Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH.