Sparks-Shock brawl

Infobox basketball game
game_name = Los Angeles Sparks at Detroit Shock


visitor = Los Angeles
home = Detroit
visitor_total = 84
home_total = 81
visitor_per1 = 29
visitor_per2 = 19
visitor_per3 = 14
visitor_per4 = 22
home_per1 = 19
home_per2 = 15
home_per3 = 18
home_per4 = 29
date = July 21, 2008
arena = The Palace of Auburn Hills
city = Detroit, Michigan
attendance = 12,930

The Sparks-Shock brawl (also known as The Malice at the Palace II) was an altercation that occurred in a Women's National Basketball Association game between the Detroit Shock and Los Angeles Sparks on July 21, 2008 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. With 4.2 seconds before the game was officially over, the fighting began on the court after Plenette Pierson made a hard block out after a free throw on Candace Parker; the two players became entangled and fell. As Parker was down, Pierson stormed over to Parker and aggressively walked over the top of her; in response, Parker pulled Pierson to the court. Parker threw a punch at Pierson before being tackled by Deanna Nolan. Players and coaches from both teams joined in, and Rick Mahorn appeared to have pushed Lisa Leslie; she lost her footing and fell to the floor. In response, Mahorn was hit by Sparks players Delisha Milton-Jones, Murriel Page and Shannon Bobbitt. Pierson, Parker, Milton-Jones, and Mahorn were all ejected. The altercation also resulted in a season-ending ACL injury to Cheryl Ford, who was trying to restrain her teammate.

This was the second brawl to occur at the Palace, the other being the infamous Pacers-Pistons brawl.

uspensions

According to WNBA rules:
*Any player not on the floor who leaves the bench area during the altercation receives a one-game suspension.
*Any player who attempts to throw a punch (successful or not) receives a one-game suspension.

Because they were ejected after the altercation, Parker, Milton-Jones, Mahorn, and Pierson all started serving their suspensions the immediate next game. Also according to WNBA rules, each team must have at least eight active members to play a game. Therefore, suspensions were staggered by alphabetical order of last name. To have eight on the Sparks' roster, Page was allowed to play in the immediate next game and served her suspension starting with the second game after the altercation. Because she was not active, Powell served her suspension when she was taken off the inactive list.

External links

* [http://aol.wnba.com/news/suspensions_080724.html WNBA Announces Penalties From Shock-Sparks Game]
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/wnba/recap?gameId=280722003 Ejected Parker, Milton-Jones help Sparks hold on vs. Shock]
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/wnba/news/story?id=3503435 WNBA hands down suspensions for Shock-Sparks skirmish]