'We felt like we just stole Detroit's heart at the time. Then reality set in' – Stephen Jackson on the highs and lows they felt after the 'Malice at the Palace'

As unfortunate as getting into a brawl is, it builds a bond like no other. Knowing that you have your teammate's back and they have yours, no matter what happens on and off the court. This was certainly the case for Stephen Jackson and his teammates on the Indiana Pacers.

On November 19, 2004, during a game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pacers and fans in the stands engaged in a brawl. This incident earned the NBA a black eye and became known as the "Malice at the Palace."

At first, Jackson and his team felt victorious after they defeated the Pistons 97-82 and defended themselves against the aggressive fans. But once their emotions died down and they learned of the consequences of their actions, reality hit them hard.

On a high

As the Pacers, led by Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest) and Jackson, returned to the safety of their locker room and eventually left the arena, they were buzzing with adrenaline and felt like they had stood up for themselves against the unruly fans.

"The best, crazy part of the night was when we got on the bus. We were so riled up. We felt like not only did we win the game, but we won the fight. We felt like we just stole Detroit's heart at the time," "Stack" shared.

However, the league quickly reviewed the incident, identified the instigators, and punished them. At this point, Jackson said the players realized the severity of their actions and the consequences that would follow.

"We got home, and we saw those fines and suspensions—reality set in," "Capt'n Jack" added.

Artest was hit the most, as then-NBA commissioner David Stern gave him a season-long suspension that cost him nearly $5 million in salary. Meanwhile, Jackson was slapped with a 30-game suspension. Curiously, the retired forward admitted he felt grateful to only receive a suspension.

"I actually think [Stern] took it light on us, because he could have easily kicked us out the league. This is my opinion. Taking $3 million was harsh, but I'd rather give that $3 million up and still have my job than keep the $3 million and be kicked out the league," Stephen remarked.

Pacers didn't expect the punishments to be that severe

According to Mark Montieth, a reporter who covered the Pacers for the Indianapolis Star, then-team president Larry Bird didn't expect the league to give the players involved harsh penalties. With all that Bird had gone through during his playing career in the 1980s, he felt that Artest would, at best, be given a ten-game suspension. Unfortunately, "Larry Legend" was dead wrong.

"Larry Bird said he was guessing Artest would be given 10 games given the stuff he had witnessed throughout his career. Then, they got word from the league office that Stern was really going to come down, and it would be serious. Then Bird thought, I guess it's going to be about 30 games. But he never thought that it would be the entire season," Montieth stated.

Stern would later explain that the penalties were necessary and served as a deterrent for future incidents.

"The significant player suspensions and permanent exclusion of those fans involved from future Pistons games were necessary responses as part of larger efforts to guarantee the well-being of our fans and players in all of our arenas," Stern exclaimed.

What began as a promising season for the loaded Pacers ended in the second round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs when they lost to the Pistons in six games. Artest returned the next season but played only 16 games before being traded to the Sacramento Kings. The following season, "Stak" was also gone, as he was traded to the Golden State Warriors.