This Day in Basketball History

1993 - Wild brawl between Knicks, Suns results in rule changes

Greg Anthony just couldn't help himself.

During a physical, late-season contest between the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns, tempers flared between point guards Doc Rivers and Kevin Johnson. The two men exchanged words - and fouls - on consecutive possessions before finally coming to blows when the latter threw a forearm that connected with Rivers' jaw while setting a screen.

While punches were thrown, the situation seemed to be diffused when the two men were separated.

Then Anthony, who was on the bench in street clothes due to an ankle injury, decided that Johnson hadn't sufficiently answered for his actions, and took a swing at the three-time All-Star.

As expected, the Suns were none too pleased with Anthony following the incident. Danny Ainge didn't mince words when launching into a verbal assault against the now CBS analyst.

ESPN has the details:

“It was between K. J. and Doc. You see that type of thing in tense games. Anthony is when it got out of hand. I don’t consider the Knicks thugs. The way John Starks and Anthony Mason and Doc Rivers play, I’d love to have them on my team. We have nothing personal. The only thing some have personal — I know our whole team is not fond of Greg Anthony. The other stuff happens. But a guy coming off the bench in street clothes and throwing a cheap shot on the star of our team? I’m told as Anthony was walking off, he said, ‘I got him good.’ K. J. was so angry with Greg Anthony. He wanted to talk to the official and ask why he’d been ejected for being punched by Greg Anthony and he wanted to go after Greg Anthony. Like I said, I love the way Starks, Mason and Rivers play. But Greg Anthony goes overboard. He’s not that good a player, either.”

Anthony was suspended five games, while Johnson and Rivers were forced to spend a pair of games watching from the sidelines.

In total, 21 fines were handed out, totaling $160,500. That fell just $2,000 shy of the league record at the time, which resulted from an incident between the Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers three years earlier.

While the penalties handed out were significant, the rule changes implemented in the immediate aftermath will be the lasting mark of the melee. Prior to the 1993 playoffs, commissioner David Stern announced that any player caught throwing a punch would receive an immediate ejection, along with a (minimum) one-game suspension and fine.

Should you connect with that swing, the penalty would increase to a maximum of five games. Fines were also put in place for any player who decided to leave the bench during an on-court altercation.

2001 - Raptors set record for most blocks in single game with 23

Fueled by a dominant defensive performance from power forward Keon Clark, the Toronto Raptors set an NBA record by blocking 23 shots in a 112-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Clark, who spent two of his seven NBA seasons with the league's lone Canadian team, was responsible for 12 of those rejections. 

Birthdays

1943 - Gail Goodrich                                                                                           

1954 - Moses Malone                                                                                           

1973 - Jason Kidd

1974 - Eric Washington