Artest to return to Detroit for first time since 2004 Brawl...

Originally Posted by ESPN

Carmelo Anthony was supposed to be back on the court Saturday, but a postponed game extended his suspension another two days. So now he can watch another highly anticipated return of a brawler: Ron Artest, back at Detroit.

"It's going to be crazy," Anthony said. "They might boo him [like] crazy out there. I can't wait to see that game."

Artest can't, either. Sacramento's visit to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday night is his first game in Detroit since the brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Pistons fans on Nov. 19, 2004.

"I haven't played there in a long time and it's going to be a fun environment," he said earlier this week. "I'm looking forward to Detroit."

Artest charged into the stands trying to attack a fan who had hit him with a beverage. He was suspended for the remainder of that season and didn't play for either the Pacers or the Kings, to whom he was traded, during their visits to Detroit last season.

"It will be interesting to see how our fans react to Artest," Pistons CEO Tom Wilson said. "But I don't think anything will be out of hand. If fans are close to unruly with heckling, we'll move them."

Artest isn't expecting any trouble, saying he already was treated with respect by Detroit fans during a trip to Comerica Park last summer.

"Sometimes things happen once in a lifetime," he said. "I think that was a once in a lifetime thing. I can't see it happening again."

But fighting in the NBA hasn't gone away, as the league was reminded last month.

Anthony is the last of the seven suspended players still out for his role in the brawl at Madison Square Garden between Denver and the New York Knicks on Dec. 16. He was banned 15 games for hitting Mardy Collins as things seemed to be calming down.

That suspension originally would have allowed Anthony to return Saturday night when the Nuggets visit Houston, but Denver's Dec. 20 game against Phoenix was postponed by a blizzard. That means the NBA's leading scorer now comes back Monday night at home against Memphis.

The Nuggets finally will get to pair Anthony with Allen Iverson, acquired from Philadelphia shortly after the penalty began.

"It's a stiff penalty. Fifteen games, that's a lot for one punch," Iverson said. "There's no place for it. This is not boxing. This is basketball. I think the league is sending a good message that they're not going to tolerate anything like that. It's not good for the fans, it's not good for us. Hopefully, it won't happen again."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press