2. Ben Wallace did not go into the stands.
Artest, OTOH, has been a volcano ready to erupt at any time. He needs help. The mistake most people who side with the Pacers are making is that they are looking at this one game only.
I propose that the lawyer in you is trying to look at this one incident only and not allow Artest's previous behavior to influence your take on this.
Let me appeal to the physician in you. Artest has a hx of volatile behavior: flagrant fouls, suspensions, throwing a TV. He also has a hx of just plain bizarre behavior: applying for a job at Circuit City before the draft (supposedly to get the discount), asking for a month off (this season to promote a rap/r&b album), and making all kinds of strange public statements regarding his own play.
In fact, at that game, he asked a reporter (I think Jim Gray) if the reporter thought that Artest was getting fouled and the refs weren't calling anything. That is a no-no in the NBA or other pro sports and Artest knows it. So is going into the stands. Every player knows to NEVER go into the stands.
He has big problems IMO. The Pacers organization have let him get away with a lot and have ignored clear signs that he needs help. It was only a matter of time before he erupted again.
Ten years ago, Vernon Maxwell, entered the stands and pummelled a fan. The fan was verbally taunting Maxwell. The fan did not throw any objects at Maxwell.
The NBA suspended Maxwell for only 10 games.
Now, considering Artest's past, one can reasonably contend that Artest deserved to be suspended for a considerable time. But, one can also reasonably contend that Artest did not deserve 73 games.
The NBA's own precedent is why a good chance exists that an independent arbitrator will reduce the suspension of Artest. I think that the time will be reduced to about 40 days.