The National Basketball Association suspended nine players involved in Friday night's fight at The Palace of Auburn Hills, according to reports.

PALACE BRAWL FIGHT VIDEO: See Brawl That Ended Game VIDEO: Investigation Focuses On Fan In White Hat SLIDESHOW: Basketbrawl At The Palace REACTION VIDEO: Fan Punched In Melee Talks To Local 4 VIDEO: See Larry Brown Press Conference ARTICLE: Fans Start Web Site To 'Arrest Artest' | Commentator Calls Pistons' Fans 'Punks' QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do You Agree With Suspensions? YOUR TURN: Who Deserves Blame? History Of Player-Fan Confrontations

The NBA came down hard on three members of the Indiana Pacers. Overall, nine players from the teams were banned for 143 games, including some of the harshest penalties the league ever issued. Artest is the first player to be suspended for nearly an entire season for a fight during a game.

Here is the list of suspensions:

Indiana Pacers
Ron Artest -- Remainder of season
Stephen Jackson -- 30 games
Jermaine O'Neal -- 25 games
Anthony Jackson -- 5 games
Reggie Miller -- 1 game

Detroit Pistons
Ben Wallace -- 6 games
Chauncey Billups -- 1 game
Elden Campbell -- 1 game
Derrick Coleman -- 1 game

Commissioner David Stern called the brawl "shocking, repulsive and inexcusable."

It all started when Detroit's Ben Wallace went in for a layup and was fouled hard by Artest from behind, and escalated when Artest stormed into the stands.

After being fouled, Wallace wheeled around and pushed Artest in the face. The benches emptied and punches were thrown.

As the players continued shoving each other near center court and coaches tried to restore order, Artest sprawled out on his back on the scorer's table.

Just when it appeared tempers had died down, Artest was struck by a cup thrown from the stands. It was then he charged into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.

WATCH VIDEO: See Fight That Ended Game

Jackson joined Artest in the melee and threw punches at fans, who punched back at them, according to reports.

Security personnel and ushers tried to break up the melee, but the fighting continued to escalate. Former Pistons player Rick Mahorn, who was seated courtside as a Detroit radio analyst, tried to stop the brawl in the stands. Detroit's Rasheed Wallace and Indiana's David Harrison were also in or near the stands trying to break up numerous fights, which had broken out.

Later, a man in a Pistons jersey approached Artest on the court, shouting at him. Artest punched him in the face, knocking him to the floor. Teammate Jermaine O'Neal stepped in and punched another man who had joined in.

The brawl forced an early end to the Pacers' 97-82 win. Officials stopped the game with 45.9 seconds remaining.

About three hours following the startling finish, Auburn Hills police walked out of a television trailer with videotapes gathered from various media outlets.

Officers interviewed witnesses at the arena in suburban Detroit, and planned to talk to the players involved in the brawl.

"We'll put it all together, take it to the Oakland County Prosecutors Office and have them review it and they'll decide if there are any charges," Auburn Hills Deputy Chief Jim Mynsberge said. "I hope we can do it before Thanksgiving."

The next meeting between the two teams is on Christmas Day in Indiana.

Report: Fan In White Hat May Have Sparked Brawl

Videotaped footage of Friday night's brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills showed that a fan in a white hat may have been responsible for the action that started the fracas, Local 4 reported.

While Indiana's Ron Artest was sprawled out on his back on a scorer's table, away from a scuffle on the court, the fan in the white hat apparently underhand lobbed a plastic cup of beer that hit Artest.

VIDEO: Investigation Focuses On Fan In White Hat

Artest jumped up and charged into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.

The man in the white hat stepped aside and another person took the initial blow, the station reported.

The tape then shows the man apparently attacking Artest from behind.

Friday night's fight resulted in the suspension of nine players, including Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal of the Pacers and Ben Wallace of the Pistons.

The Oakland County prosecutor's office is now reviewing the case to determine if charges will be filed. The identity of the fan in the white hat remains unknown.