NBA scoring leader Carmelo Anthony was suspended for 15 games and six other players were penalized as commissioner David Stern came down hard on the Knicks and Nuggets after the brawl which broke out at Madison Square Garden. Nate Robinson and J.R. Smith each got 10 games for their part in the altercation. Stern also fined each organization $500,000, an unprecedented amount in the NBA. Knicks coach Isaiah Thomas, and Nuggets coach George Karl both citing the other as the instigator of the event, did not receive fines.

This weekend’s brawl between the players of the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets was the NBA's scariest scene since the infamous brawl between Pacers players and Pistons fans two years ago at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The league is still recovering from that episode, and Commissioner Stern made it clear the players must learn to control themselves.

Anthony's suspension was the sixth longest in NBA history. Yet it is my strong belief, that he was let off the hook. Anthony displayed the scariest move seen in some time on an NBA court. He deliberately punched a Knicks player with the intent to hurt him. Many have since called this sucker punch almost as dangerous as the one seen in the 1977-78 season which injured Rudy Tomjanovich’s jaw, eye and cheek. Considering the fact that Kermit Washington got a two month suspension for that punch, Anthony got a lenient suspension of only 15 games (about a month).

Mardy Collins, whose hard foul on Smith sparked the fighting, was suspended six games and Knicks teammate Jared Jeffries will miss four, mostly for just chasing Anthony around the court after he threw his punch. The Knicks’ Jerome James and Denver’s Nene Hilario were suspended one game for leaving the bench.

Ten players were ejected after the fight, which started with 1:15 left in the match which resulted in a Denver 123-100 victory.

It started when Collins prevented Smith from an easy basket by wrapping his arms around Smith's neck and taking him to the floor. Smith rose and got in Collins' face. Then Robinson jumped in to pull Smith away, after some pushing and shoving Robinson and Smith fell into the front row while wrestling. Just as things appeared to be calming down, Anthony threw a hard punch that sent Collins "onto the canvas", and Jeffries chased Anthony around the court in hopes of getting retaliation. He was initially held back by his teammates and then tackled by a Denver player.

The punishments were announced before both teams were to play Monday night. Interestingly enough both teams won without the suspended players - New York beat Utah at home on a last second Stephon Marbury shot; Denver hosted and beat Washington thanks to the inspired play of their shortest player, Earl Boykins.


Before Stern talked, the Knicks held their morning shoot around, where Thomas reiterated the Knicks' postgame comments that the escalated events were caused by Denver coach George Karl leaving his starters on the floor too long in a blowout. Yet in Denver, Karl was furious with Thomas. Karl accused that Collins’ foul was a "premeditated" act advised by Thomas. Neither coach was fined, at least not directly, but don’t think for a second that neither team’s owner thinks his coach did not have a part in them getting a $500,000 fine. Thomas has had many issues this season and with this latest he just has added another reason to bring his contract’s termination date closer.