5 biggest fights in NBA history ft. Michael Jordan vs Reggie Miller, Malice at the Palace, and more

Fights in the NBA are not a common occurrence. The league does its best to promote sportsmanship, but when the stakes are high and there are some big personalities on the court, friction can lead to conflict.

Given the physicality and the competitive nature of basketball, it doesn't come as a surprise when tempers flare and physical altercations turn into a brawl.

Here are the five biggest brawls in NBA history:

#5, Michael Jordan vs Reggie Miller

Two of the best guards in the NBA, Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller, got into a fight in a Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers game in the 1992/1993 season.

After a put-back in transition, Reggie Miller shoved Jordan, who chased him down the court and the pair got into a face-to-face confrontation.

The two exchanged blows and the Bulls superstar faced a one-game suspension along with a $10,000 fine. Meanwhile, Miller was fined $6,000.

30 years ago today: Michael Jordan vs. Reggie Miller.

Miller was ejected and fined $6K. Jordan stayed in the game, but was later fined $10K & suspended for one game after video of the fight showed he'd hit Miller in the throat with an elbow and thrown a punch.

February 10, 1993 https://t.co/VLsVcg5bly

#4, Larry Bird vs Julius Erving

The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers were dominating the Eastern Conference in the 1980s and their rivalry brought out the competitive nature of the players, namely Larry Bird and Julius Erving.

In a regular season game back in 1984, the Celtics dominated the Sixers, but the game was highlighted by the Bird-Erving incident.

Bird and Erving trash-talked each other and engaged in a brawl with punches being thrown. Both were ejected and were fined $7,500 apiece.

November 9, 1984: Larry Bird vs. Julius Erving.

Both players were ejected & fined $7,500. Philadelphia's Moses Malone was fined $3,500 for fighting, and teammate Charles Barkley was fined $1,000 for his role in the incident.

Celtics 130, 76ers 119.
📼 youtu.be/XyjA4O4h2JQ https://t.co/VU3HoKTDFl

#3, Phoenix Suns vs New York Knicks

A bench-clearing brawl led to six ejections and 12 technical fouls on March 23, 1993, when the Phoenix Suns faced the New York Knicks.

Doc Rivers (Knicks) and Kevin Johnson (Suns) trash-talked each other in consecutive plays in the first half and as the halftime buzzer sounded, they got into a heated exchange. Players and coaches from both clubs got involved.

"I've never seen anything like that in all my 27 years in the league," Suns president Jerry Colangelo told reporters. "It looked like it was going out of control. It got a little scary there for a minute."

#2, Denver Nuggets vs New York Knicks

A hard foul in the final seconds of a blowout home loss for the New York Knicks against the Denver Nuggets in 2006, led to a massive brawl between the players.

The Nuggets still had their starters on the floor in garbage time and a hard foul to JR Smith by Mardy Collins wreaked havoc.

Smith was en route to an easy transition basket when Collins grabbed him by the neck and took him to the floor.

Smith and Collins got tangled up, Nate Robinson got involved and Carmelo Anthony shoved Robinson, who then got tangled up with Smith. The two spilled into the stands while tussling.

Seven players got suspended for a total of 47 games. Carmelo Anthony faced a 15-game suspension.

"We have set up the goal of eliminating fighting from our game," then NBA Commissioner, late David Stern, said to ESPN. "We haven't eliminated it completely."

#1, Malice at the Palace cast the NBA in a terrible light

This was the biggest fight in NBA history. It happened on November 19, 2004, when the Detroit Pistons played host to the Indiana Pacers.

A hard foul on Ben Wallace by Ron Artest started the brawl, with Wallace shoving Artest and players and coaches entering the floor to get involved.

A fan later threw a beer from the stands and hit Artest, who raced into the stands to confront the fan. A fight between the fans and players sparked, resulting in the biggest sanction that has ever been imposed by the NBA.

"It felt like we were trapped in a gladiator-type scene where the fans were the lions and we were just trying to escape with our lives," Pacers special assistant to CEO Chuck Person told Grantland in 2012. "That's how it felt. That there was no exit. That you had to fight your way out."

The suspensions reached a total of 146 games and a total fine of $10M was imposed. In addition, the NBA had to change its security and alcohol sales policy.