Ron Artest was suspended for the rest of the season yesterday, and two of his Indiana teammates must miss a total of 55 games for fighting with fans during a melee that broke out at the end of a game against Detroit.

Overall, the NBA issued some of the harshest penalties in its history, banning nine players for more than 140 games. Artest’s suspension is the strongest ever levied for a fight during a game.

Indiana’s Stephen Jackson was suspended for 30 games and Jermaine O’Neal for 25. Detroit’s Ben Wallace – whose shove of Artest after a foul led to the fracas – drew a six-game ban, while Indiana’s Anthony Johnson got five games. Four players – Indiana’s Reggie Miller, and Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell, and Derrick Coleman – were suspended one game each for leaving the bench.

All of the suspensions are without pay. Artest will lose about $5 million in salary, while O’Neal’s ban will cost him nearly 25% of his $14.8 million salary.

Players union director Billy Hunter, calling the penalties excessive, said an appeal would be filed with Stern today.

“We have to make the point that there are boundaries in our games,” Stern said. “One of our boundaries, that have always been immutable, is the boundary that separate the fans from the court. Players cannot lose control and move into the stands.”

Artest, O’Neal and Jackson began serving their suspensions Saturday.

“I respect David Stern, but I don’t think that he has been fair with me in this situation,” Artest said in a statement released by the players’ union in which he also expressed regrets.

Artest’s penalty was the most severe because of his checkered history. Artest being provoked into charging a fan who threw a drink did not appear to be a mitigating factor in Stern’s decision.

The Pacers will be able to place Artest, O’Neal and Jackson on the suspended list and sign players to take their place. Billups, Coleman, and Campbell served their suspensions Sunday. Wallace will be eligible to return December 3 against San Antonio.

“We have to do everything possible to redefine the covenant between players and fans, and between fans and fans, and make sure we can play our games in very welcoming and peaceful settings,” Stern said.

The NBA also has to “redefine the bounds of acceptable conduct for fans attending our games and resolve to permanently exclude those who overstep those bounds,” Stern said.

Friday night’s brawl was particularly violent, with Artest and Jackson bolting into the stands and throwing punches at fans after debris was tossed at the players. Later, fans who came onto the court were punched in the face by Artest and O’Neal. Players who entered the stands and tried to act as peacemakers were not penalized.

“The NBA has singled out Jermaine O’Neal in an arbitrary and capricious way,” agent Arn Tellem said, faulting the NBA for not considering the players’ fear for their own safety.

Pacers co-owner Herb Simon issued a statement saying “We believe that there was a rush to judgment and not enough opportunity for all sides to be heard. We will vigorously support our players in any available appeal process.”

“Mr. Jackson was well into the stands, and certainly anyone who watched any television this weekend understood he wasn’t going in as a peacemaker,” Stern said. “Jermaine, I think it’s fair to say, exceeded any bounds of peacemaking with the altercation with the fan in which he was involved.”

Nine people were treated for injuries, and police are investigating possible criminal charges.