After reviewing the films several times, my take is that the Detroit fans(hoodlums) were totally at fault.
Just because you paid for a ticket to the game doesn't give you the right to assault the players with cups and bottles.
And even some of the fans(hoodlums) "sucker punched" some of the Pacers.
Granted players should never go into the stands,
but the Detroit fans in this instance should be prosecuted.
You're right, players should NEVER go into the stands. There's no excuse for the things that happened. I believe the players that crossed over that bench into the stands should be removed from the NBA permanently. It might sound harsh, but we have kids looking up to these people. It's not like someone had a gun pointed at these players so there wasn't an immediate threat to life and limb. It's pathetic. These players get paid LOADS of money to play A SPORT! It's a privilege to play sports for a living. If fighting is your thing, be a boxer or play hockey and don't bother to step back on to the basketball court again. I would like to see everyone, including players, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. As far as the NBA goes, they better come down hard on the players involved. At the very least, suspension for the rest of the season. If you think for even a second the Detroit fans should be the only folks prosecuted, you must be a Pacers fan.
I'm thinking that any player that went up into the stands should be fined and face large suspensions (including a possible ban for the rest of the season). As for the people throwing things, they should be prosecuted. It's at the very least assault and battery.
Btw, the guy Artest went after for throwing a drink (in a cup) at him? He was holding a cup, that means he didn't just throw a drink, that means the thug attacked a totally innocent fan who did nothing.
And to whatever dude said something about a "fat Mexican" on the court, the guy was an Arab, not a Mexican.