What was an altercation on November 19, 2004, at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan two years before the one between the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets at Madison Square Garden?
Pacers–Pistons brawl The Pacers–Pistons brawl (colloquially known as the Malice at the Palace or Basketbrawl) was an altercation that occurred in a National Basketball Association (NBA) game between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons on November 19, 2004, at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The Associated Press (AP) called it "the most infamous brawl in NBA history".
2003–04 Boston Celtics season The 2003–04 NBA season was the 58th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason, the Celtics acquired Raef LaFrentz, a teammate of Paul Pierce from the University of Kansas, from the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics roster move continued in December when Tony Battie and Eric Williams were both traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Davis. In February, Mike James was traded to the Detroit Pistons for Lindsey Hunter and Chucky Atkins in a three-team trade involving the Atlanta Hawks. However, Hunter was waived after the trade and later re-signed with the Pistons. The team also released Vin Baker, who went off to sign with the New York Knicks.