I blame this on the fans. I'm not saying it was okay for the players to jump in the stands, but the fans physically provokes someone, a someone who is known for being nuts, and when they do that they better be prepared to receive what they gave out. You punch someone, they're probably going to punch you back. But, the suspensions are completely acceptable and deserved, players simply can't do what Artest and company did, you can't, but you have to take into account a couple things:
A.) Artest is batshit insane and the fans should know that by now.
B.) Artest actually showed restraint by NOT attacking Wallace back. Whoever called him a pussy for that is a !@#$ idiot and should be banned from the forums for being stupid.
C.) The other players who jumped in (Jackson, O'Neal) were on pure adrenaline at that point, and were protecting their teammate. The man is most likely like a brother to those guys, basket ball is a team sport, and you're damn right those guys are going to protect their brother.
D.) The fans are !@#$ morons, plain and simple, one player, Fred Jones, wasn't doing anything, not fighting at all, and a fan attacked him from behind. Its ridiculous and the people of Detroit should be ashamed. Absolutely ashamed. Any of them that try to press charges and make a pretty penny from the players should be laughed out of the court and then run over with a car.
So yeah, the players deserved what they got with the suspensions, you can't go in the stands, end of story. But outside of the game of basketball, everyone one of those people deserved to get the shit kicked out of them. Anyone who threw drinks or chairs should get laid the !@#$ out. If it wasn't a professional sport, just real life, those people would have gotten deservedly thrashed. They all should be ashamed of themselves.