Despite the Pacers pleading to the league that Ron Artest's tackle of Philadelphia's Eric Snow Wednesday night was a "purposeful" foul, and not a flagrant as judged by the referees the NBA yesterday upheld the punishment; a one game suspension.  

Originally thought to be a two game holiday, the NBA's guidelines state that a player with six flagrant points, as Artest had before Wednesday's game, receives a one-game suspension for a "flagrant 1" penalty and a two-game suspension for the more severe "flagrant 2" penalty. Artest now has seven flagrant points. Each flagrant foul the rest of the season will bring a two-game suspension.

"It was a purposely done foul (when going for the ball)," Artest said. "If it was a purposely done foul without going for the ball, it should be called a flagrant foul. Same thing like Derrick Coleman should have had two flagrant fouls. He grabbed my foot and he fouled J.O. (Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal) without going for the ball."