Untold: Malice at the Palace | |
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Directed by | Floyd Russ |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Edited by | Nate Gross |
Music by | Brocker Way |
Production company | Players' Tribune |
Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date |
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Running time | 68 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Untold: Malice at the Palace is a 2021 American documentary film made for Netflix and directed by Floyd Russ. [1] The film is the first installment in the nine-part Untold documentary film series. [2] Its story focuses on the infamous brawl that occurred between fans and NBA players during the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons game at The Palace of Auburn Hills on November 19, 2004. [3] [4] The film was released on August 10, 2021.
On November 19, 2004, the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons were competing in one of the first games of the NBA season and tensions were already high. In the previous seasons Eastern Conference Finals, the two teams had gone head to head with the Pistons coming out on top. It was a home game this season for the Pistons, with a sold-out crowd a lots of Pistons fans.
At the end of the game, with 45.9 seconds left, Pacers player Ron Artest fouled Pistons player Ben Wallace, leading to a confrontation between the teams on the court. Artest went to lay down on the scorers table where he was then struck with a drink that had been thrown by a Pistons fan. Artest then stormed the stands and attacked the fan that he had thought to be the one to throw the drink. From there, chaos ensued and there was a full brawl between fans and players. [5]
The remainder of the game was never completed, and players were taken to their respective locker rooms as quickly as possible. It was in those locker rooms that they were instructed not to discuss the events of the evening with the media, and to wait for the punishments that would be given out. The players listened and did not speak out on the situation until the Untold: Malice at the Palace documentary was released. [1]
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
Reginald Wayne Miller is an American former professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Indiana Pacers. Widely recognized as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, he was known for his precision three-point shooting, especially in pressure situations and most notably against the New York Knicks, for which he earned the nickname "Knick Killer". A five-time All-Star selection, Miller was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball executive and former professional player who played most of his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Detroit Pistons. He is regarded as the greatest undrafted player in NBA history, and was known for his shot-blocking, rebounding, and overall defensive play. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University. In his NBA career, he also played with the Washington Bullets/Wizards, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Palace of Auburn Hills, commonly known as the Palace, was a multi-purpose arena located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Opened in 1988, it was the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League, the Detroit Rockers of the National Professional Soccer League, the Detroit Neon/Detroit Safari of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, and the Detroit Fury of the Arena Football League.
Jermaine Lee O'Neal Sr. is an American former professional basketball player. A center/power forward, he had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA draft straight out of high school. O'Neal, at just 17 years of age, was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 17th overall pick, and played his first professional game at 18. At the time, he was the youngest player to ever play an NBA game.
Metta Sandiford-Artest, previously legally named Metta World Peace, is an American former professional basketball player who played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Under the name Ron Artest, he played college basketball for the St. John's Red Storm. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 1999 NBA draft.
The "Malice at the Palace" was a fight involving both players and fans that occurred during a National Basketball Association (NBA) game between the Indiana Pacers and the defending champion Detroit Pistons on November 19, 2004, at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The Associated Press called it "the most infamous brawl in NBA history."
David Joshua Harrison is an American former professional basketball player. A former National Basketball Association (NBA) player for the Indiana Pacers, he was a member of the Beijing Ducks for the 2008–09 season and played with the Guangdong Southern Tigers for the next two years. He also played for the Tianjin Ronggang. At Brentwood Academy, Harrison received TSSAA Division 2 Mr. Basketball in 2000 and 2001. He was drafted by the Indiana Pacers out of the University of Colorado at Boulder with the 29th pick of the 2004 NBA draft.
Tremaine J. Fowlkes is an American former professional basketball player at the small forward position. Fowlkes was drafted out of Fresno State by the Denver Nuggets with the 54th pick of the 1998 NBA draft, though he did not make an NBA on-court appearance until the 2001–02 season. He has played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers of the NBA, averaging 3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 103 career games. He also appeared for the New Orleans Hornets during the 2004 preseason.
The Clemson–South Carolina football brawl, also known as The Brawl, was an on-field altercation during an NCAA game between football players from the University of South Carolina and Clemson University. The incident took place on November 20, 2004 at the Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. This disturbance led to serious repercussions handed down for those involved from the SEC and the ACC. This took place the day after a notable brawl at an NBA game in Detroit, the "Malice at the Palace".
The Knicks–Nuggets brawl was an on-court altercation at a National Basketball Association (NBA) game between the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 16, 2006. This altercation became the most penalized on-court fight in the NBA since the Indiana Pacers–Detroit Pistons brawl, otherwise known as the Malice at the Palace, which occurred on November 19, 2004.
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 64th season for the Pistons, the 57th in the National Basketball Association, and the 48th in the Detroit area. During the offseason, the Pistons signed free agent Antonio McDyess. Coming off their upset victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, the Pistons began the season playing around .500. However, things would get out of control at the end of a November 19 game against the Indiana Pacers, when a huge brawl occurred between Pacers players and Pistons fans after Ben Wallace and Ron Artest got into a shoving match. As the season progressed, the Pistons would post an 11-game winning streak near the end of the season, and would eventually finish first overall in the Central Division, and second overall in the Eastern Conference with a 54–28 record. Ben Wallace was named Defensive Player of the Year for the third time, and was selected for the 2005 NBA All-Star Game.
The 2004–05 NBA season was the Pacers' 29th season in the National Basketball Association, and 38th season as a franchise. The Pacers finished third in the Central Division with a 44–38 record. This season also marked the final season for All-Star guard Reggie Miller.
The 2005–06 Indiana Pacers season was the 30th season completed by the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This was also the Pacers first since the 1986-87 season that All-Star guard Reggie Miller was not on the roster as he retired following the 2004-05 season.
Ron Garretson is an American former professional basketball referee for the National Basketball Association (NBA). In his 30-plus NBA seasons, from 1987 until 2019, he had officiated over 1,600 games, including 1,397 regular season NBA games, 157 playoff games and 11 Finals games. He also officiated the 1993 Europe Tour in London and the 1997 and 2013 NBA All-Star Games. He is the son of former NBA referee Darell Garretson, who died in April 2008 at the age of 76.
The Lakers–Pistons rivalry is an American professional basketball rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons. This rivalry, which was showcased three times in the NBA Finals, pitted the All-Star filled Lakers teams against the blue collar, team-first oriented Pistons squads. Despite playing the role of underdog in all three of their final round meetings with Los Angeles, Detroit enjoyed significant success against the Lakers, claiming the NBA title against them twice.
The Indiana Pacers were founded on February 2, 1967, as an American Basketball Association franchise, and moved to the National Basketball Association in 1976. The Pacers were considered a dynasty in the ABA, winning three titles and six conference titles. The Pacers play in the Eastern Conference and Central Division, and they play their home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Pacers have enjoyed some success in the NBA, most notably during the career of Reggie Miller. The Pacers have made the NBA Playoffs 27 out of 44 years, with one trip to the NBA Finals but have never won an NBA championship.
The 2003–04 NBA season was the Pacers' 28th season in the National Basketball Association, and 37th season as a franchise. During the offseason, former Pacers head coach Larry Bird was named President of Basketball Operations. One of Bird's first moves in his new position was to fire head coach Isiah Thomas, after Thomas had led the Pacers to first-round playoff exits for three consecutive years. The defensive-minded Rick Carlisle, former head coach of the Detroit Pistons, was announced as Thomas' replacement. Also during the offseason, the Pacers acquired Scot Pollard from the Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade and signed free agent Kenny Anderson.
Crowd abuse or barracking refers to the widespread practice of crowds following various sports to criticise or abuse opponents, by shouting, chanting, singing or through the use of banners in the stadium. Motivation for crowd abuse includes gaining a psychological advantage over an opponent, either individually or as a team. Examples of the effectiveness of such techniques can be found in any major sport, including some dangerous outcomes such as the Malice in the palace.
Untold is a series of sports documentary films distributed on Netflix.