Untold: Malice at the Palace Documentary Review

Untold: Malice at the Palace shows that all incidents are more complex than they may appear.

Netflix’s latest documentary Untold: Malice at the Palace dives into the famous incident between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons from November 19, 2004. The story is told by those who lived it. From Pacers players Jermaine O’Neal, Stephen Jackson, Reggie Miller, and Ron Artest, to fans in the stands and security guards. The story of the incident grapples with the way it was portrayed in the media and the effects of the incident on the players involved.

Untold: Malice at the Palace dives into the confluence of factors that caused the tension of the incident, from the player’s personal experiences to the layout of the arena and the lack of security. Many fans know the incident as Artest and Jackson going into the stands and attacking fans. Lost on many are the actions of the fans that started the incident and the way some fans came onto the court to fight the players. It also dives into the lack of support from security. 

Expanding on the Story

A Freedom of Information Request allows us to see security footage from the Palace that was not part of the initial narrative. Following the incident, the conversation was about how the NBA needed to reel in their “thuggish” players. The discussion was a thinly veiled conversation about race and hip-hop influence, and the NBA took this opportunity to throw the book at players.

Artest was suspended for the season, and O’Neal and Jackson also got 25+ game suspensions. Untold: Malice at the Palace dives into other ways Commissioner David Stern instituted a dress code that tried to “professionalize” the way the players dressed. It was an attack on the culture of the primarily black players in the NBA. It was a disappointing injustice by a league that has been popularized by their hard work. The media turned on them as well, playing up the “thug” narrative and saying that they needed to learn “how to act in a civilized, normal society”.

It was also disappointing to see how the incident affected the players. Artest, who had been using a mental health coping strategy when he was hit with the beer, almost left basketball and asked to be traded. Reggie Miller retired soon after, and O’Neal struggled to shed the reputation he gained and lead the Pacers squad.

How Much is Owed to Fans?

Luckily, fans do not get off easy in Untold: Malice at the Palace. The fan who threw the beer at Artest, John Smith, is portrayed as callous and unapologetic for his role. A fan who approached the court and tried to fight Artest was rightfully charged with assault. It’s an interesting look at the entitlement of fans.

Fans in Detroit wanted to be part of the action. They expected to participate in the brawl without consequences. When players defended themselves they called them thugs and entitled. We’ve had more and more incidents of fans using slurs towards players. Fans are trying to overly involve themselves in the action often. This incident was brought on by the actions of many, and fans are not free of blame.

Overall the documentary is a fascinating dive into the multitude of factors that made the Malice at the Palace happen. Fans, players, and security all had a role to play on that fateful night. Go and watch it for yourself on Netflix.

Evan Gomes is a freelance pop culture & sports writer. Follow him on Twitter at @ItsEvanGomes, and check out his two podcasts: Crossbody of Work and The Pop Capsule Podcast. You can also follow Belly Up Sports on Twitter for more sports and entertainment news and content.