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Metta World Peace or Ron Artest—the name changes but the game remains the same.
10. Raja Bell vs. Kobe Bryant: In the 2006 playoffs, Bryant had the ball at the top of the key and made a move to his right, but the Suns' Bell took his left arm and wrapped it around the neck of Bryant and threw him to the floor.
9. P.J. Brown vs. Charlie Ward: In the 1997 Miami-New York playoffs, Brown flipped the Knicks’ guard into photographers, sparking a melee that led to the 4 Knicks' suspensions for leaving the bench. The suspensions were upheld by a U.S. District Court.
8. Robert Horry vs. Steve Nash: With 18.2 seconds left in a San Antonio-Phoenix playoff game in 2007, the Spurs were down three and had to foul. Horry went too far, however, using his forearm to send Nash flying into the lower part of the scorer’s table.
7. Jason Smith vs. Blake Griffin: Earlier this season, Griffin was going for a dunk but never got airborne. Smith lowered his shoulder into Griffin, sending the Clippers’ star sprawling. A groggy Griffin got up after 30 seconds.
6. Kevin McHale vs. Kurt Rambis: During Game 4 of the 1984 NBA finals, Rambis was clotheslined by McHale, setting the tone for what became an extremely physical series. The Celtics won that pivotal game and the series in 7 games.
5. Carmelo Anthony vs. Mardy Collins: After a hard foul by the Knicks’ Mardy Collins on Denver's J.R. Smith, Anthony— who was being held back — broke free and threw a sucker punch toward Collins, earning a 15-game suspension.
4. Metta World Peace vs. James Harden: Metta World Peace was pounding his chest, celebrating a dunk. With James Harden directly next to him, World Peace raised his left elbow over Harden’s shoulder and cleanly hit the Thunder guard in the back of the skul
3. Andrew Bynum vs. JJ Barea: With the Mavs about to eliminate the Lakers in the 2011 playoffs, Barea drove down the lane for a layup. While airborne, the 6-foot, 175-pound Barea took a hard, deliberate right-arm shot from the 7-foot, 285-pound Bynum.
2. Malice at the Palace: The most infamous brawl in NBA history started when Indiana’s Ron Artest fouled Detroit’s Ben Wallace late in a Nov. 19, 2004 game. When Artest was hit with a fan's beverage, he charged into the stands.
1. Kermit Washington vs. Rudy Tomjanovich: In a 1977 fight between the Lakers and Rockets, Rudy Tomjanovich was punched by the Lakers’ Kermit Washington. Tomjanovich needed several surgeries and Washington was suspended an unprecedented 25 games.
Was Dexter Pittman's elbow to the head of Lance Stephenson one of the worst hits in NBA history? It might rank in the Top 10. Here’s a look at the Top 10 worst fights, punches and cheap shots in NBA history: …