After all the hoopla surrounding the suspensions of Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal, the final decision will be decided in the Courts rather than on the court. The NBA is going to federal court today to try to challenge the authority of arbitrator Roger Kaplan to reduce O'Neal's 25 game suspension to 15 games.

The NBA Player's Association is going to ask for an injunction to allow O'Neal to play in Saturday's game against the Pistons--the first game he would be eligible to return under the reduced suspension Kaplan recommended. Saturday's contest is on national television and will be the first meeting between the Pistons and Pacers since the ugly brawl on November 19th that led to the suspensions in question.

The original decision to suspend O'Neal was issued by NBA commissioner David Stern. The league claims that Kaplan did not have the authority to reduce the commissioner's decision. Kaplan upheld the most controversial suspension, the season long ban of Ron Artest for entering the stands to attack fans at the game after one of them allegedly threw a cup of beer at him.

A hearing is scheduled today in New York Federal Court on the matter.