It was clear that Artest was a star on the rise, and in 2003-04 he would be named to the All-Star Game and went on to have an 18.6 Points per Game Season. This year also saw the Forward earn a Third Team All-NBA and First Team All-Defensive Selection. The Pacers, with Artest as their primary weapon, was poised to make a run for the 2005 NBA Championship. That was until the infamous "Malice at the Palace."
You probably know the story. Artest was in the center of a brawl between Indiana and the Detroit Pistons, and a beer was thrown at him by a fan when he was lying down on the scorer's table. He charged the stands and was joined by some of his teammates. Artest was suspended for the rest of the season (This was only game eight of the season), and the Pacers were screwed. He would request a trade shortly after he returned for the next season.
Had he kept his composure is the biggest “what if” in Pacers history.
Comments powered by CComment