You must have missed it, but Jermain O'Neil ran a good few steps on the floor and punched some guy who was looking the other way in the jaw/neck area knocking him to the floor.
I will tell you I am fed up with the so called experts saying the fans were more responsible. I would say every fan who was bumped elbowed or pushed while Artest went after that guy had every right to stomp him. Stephen Jackson should be banned for life and sued and O'Neil should also be banned for life and sued. I thought Artest acted the most reasonable of the whole bunch and he acted like an ass.
If Artest is such a bad ass( not that you said he was, just a point) why did he take the punch from Wallace and start clowning but a weak nerd throws a dixie cup at him and he chases him into the stands? Wallace should just serve whatever the regular suspension is for his punch/slap of Artest.
Go Mavs!
Artest is not that dumb!
Artest acted with class during the altercation with Wallace, but he was the first player to go in the stands after he got hit with a paper cup. His act of going after a fan he thought threw it was what esclated if from a run of the mill NBA slap fight to a riot.
Artest should be banned for life.
I did see the punch you refered to, but I thought it was Jackson that hit the fan on the floor, but I certainly could have been O'neal. I'm not sure.
LOL - Dirk Novitzky routinely suffers harder fouls than the one on Wallace. Has he ever retaliated?
I think the fan that O'Neal cold-cocked was the same one that Artest had just smoked; the fan was just getting to his feet when O'Neal ran over and punched him, they both fell down.