Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers is escorted out of the Palace by Chuck Person following a melee 19 November 2004 during their game against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills, in Auburn Hills, Michigan. (Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

    BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhuanet) --  The Auburn Hill Stadium, home court of NBA's defending champs, the Detroit Pistons, has been turned into a battle field with flying cups and plastic bottles.

    Fists were flying. So were cups, plastic bottles and even a chair in one of the ugliest NBA brawls ever, China Radio International reported Saturday.

    "It's the ugliest thing I've seen as a coach or player," said Pistons coach Larry Brown, who was in the middle of the confrontation, trying to break it up. 

    It all started when Detroit's Ben Wallace went in for a layup and was fouled hard by Artest from behind, and escalated when Artest stormed into the stands after being hit by a full cup.

    Officials stopped the game with 45.9 seconds remaining after pushing and shoving between the teams spilled into the stands once fans got involved by throwing things at the players near the scorer's table.

    The Pacers received a chair, beer, ice, and popcorn as they made their way to the locker room in one of the scariest brawls in an NBA game.

    "I felt like I was fighting for my life out there," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "I'm sorry the game had to end this way."

    Meanwhile, the NBA declined to comment on the melee.

    "The NBA is withholding comment until it can review the incident," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.

    (CRIENGLISH.com)