"It's obviously going to be more of an issue now," O'Connor said.

"That's something you can't do anything about," Sloan added.

That is because front-row fans equate to big bucks for franchise owners who must pay handsomely compensated players.

"Sometimes it's pretty tough," Sloan said when asked if he tunes out fans, some of whom sit within an arm's reach. "I've had some problems a time or two. . . . But they pay a lot of money for those seats, I guess."

Still, the potential for future violence is ripe with fans so close.

"That's one of the downfalls of people sitting close to the floor and being there," Sloan said. "I mean, a guy may just stand up, and (a player) . . . doesn't know who's coming after you.

"If a guy takes three or four steps out of his seat, sitting next to the floor, then he might be fair game to some people. That's a tough one for me, because a player has to try to protect himself as well at times."

As for what Artest did, opinions are mixed.

"You have to protect yourself and try to protect your teammates and your players. That's all you can do," said Sloan, who at the same time actually lectured his team on the subject Saturday.

"Don't do anything crazy," he told them, "and stay out of the stands."

Collins tried to see both sides.

"Ron was trying to do the right thing, for Ron Artest, by removing himself from the situation," Collins said of Artest, who was shoved by Wallace after a foul and was reclining on a table when the beer cup struck him. "And he was provoked by a fan throwing something at him.

"Granted, you don't want a situation where players go into the stands. Given that, you don't want a situation where the fans provoke the players.

"All parties involved," Collins added, "need to understand that this is entertainment, and at the same (time) . . . players shouldn't cross the line. And vice-versa."

Not debated was the perception that a fight like Friday's sullies the league.

"Today it doesn't look very good, because it's a slap in face of the NBA and everybody that's involved in it," Sloan said. "I hope it isn't a long-lasting effect because there are a lot of people who have put a lot into this game.

"To have this happen, we're just driving our fans away. And that's not what we want to do. The most important people, really, when it's all said and done, are your fans. If you don't acknowledge that . . . then you probably should go get another job."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com