Garden Brawl Fallout

You know a team is bad when they only make the news for negative reasons, but the Knicks continue to outdo themselves as an organization. Tonight's newsworthy is the Broadway Brawl. I've perused the brawl that took place at the end of the Denver Nuggets 123-100 win over the hapless New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. It started after a flagrant foul by Mardy Collins on J.R. Smith, escalated, dissipated, and then hit a crescendo when Carmelo Anthony stilled Collins in the face. Referee Dick Bavetta then proceeded to eject all ten players who were on the floor prior to the brawl irrespective of their involvement. In the post-game press conference, Knicks head coach Isaiah Thomas noted that the Nuggets shouldn't have had their starters late in the game with a comfortable lead.

After a good dozen looks at the brawl and post-game comments, I would do the following if I were in David Stern's position.

Suspensions

• Before I go into the suspensions, I would absolve Marcus Camby, Channing Frye, David Lee, Andre Miller, and Eduardo Najera from further punishment. Of course, the league office will fine these players simply for breathing because that's how they roll.
  
• First things first. The rookie Mardy Collins committed a heinous and unnecessary flagrant foul against J.R. Smith. This was his second flagrant foul in as many nights. For the reason that his stupid foul initiated the stupidity that ensued, he gets slapped with a 3-game suspension.
• Second, we address the victim, J.R. Smith. After the foul, he gets in the face of Collins only to be thrown by Nate Robinson. Later on, Smith, held by David Lee, retaliates after Robinson gets in his face. J.R. Smith gets a 3-game suspension, mostly for taking Robinson into the stands.
• Third, we have Nate Robinson, who shoved J.R. Smith after he got in Collins' face and started jawing at Smith to bait him. It worked. I hate the idea of little guys getting away with stuff. He gets a 6-game suspension for being a moron.
• Fourth, it's none other than 'Melo. He sucker-punched Collins as the melee dissipated. In this climate, you cannot punch anyone. No one. As a result, I would issue nothing less than a 5-game suspension for Anthony.
• Fifth, I would suspend Jared Jeffries for one game after holding Anthony inappropriately (across his neck) and then chasing him after the sucker punch.
• Sixth, I would publicly warn and fine Isaiah Thomas for his comments after the game. It is not the responsibility of the opposing teams' coach to determine when the opposition's starters exit the game. Period.