BREAKING NEWS: WNBA levies a bevy of suspensions

The WNBA finished its review of Tuesday's brawl between Los Angeles and Detroit, and hardly anyone involved was left unaffected.

A league-record 11 people, including 10 players and one coach, were issued suspensions ranging anywhere from one to four games Thursday afternoon, a disciplinary action so heavy-handed, players on both teams will stagger their punishments so the teams can dress the minimum number of players (eight) for their upcoming games.

"The WNBA and its players represent all that is good about sports: passion, hard work and sacrifice," WNBA president Donna Orender said in a statement. "On a nightly basis our players display extraordinary skill, athleticism and competitive fire. The events Tuesday, however, were inexcusable and in no way indicative of what the league stands for. We hold our players to a very high standard and these suspensions should serve notice that the behavior exhibited at the end of Tuesday’s game will not be tolerated."

Here's the lengthy list, by team:

Detroit:
* Shock forward Plenette Pierson has been suspended for four games for her actions that initiated and escalated the altercation.
* Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn has been suspended for two games for escalating the altercation.
* Shock center Kara Braxton has been suspended for one game for leaving the area of the bench during an on-court altercation.
* Shock forward Tasha Humphrey has been suspended for one game for leaving the area of the bench during an on-court altercation.
* Shock guard Elaine Powell has been suspended for one game for leaving the area of the bench during an on-court altercation.
* Shock forward Sheri Sam has been suspended for one game for leaving the area of the bench during an on-court altercation.

Los Angeles:
* Guard Shannon Bobbitt has been suspended for two games for leaving the area of the bench and becoming physically involved in an on-court altercation.
* Guard Murriel Page has been suspended for two games for leaving the area of the bench and becoming physically involved in an on-court altercation.
* Center Lisa Leslie has been suspended for one game for throwing a punch.
* Forward DeLisha Milton-Jones has been suspended for one game for throwing a punch.
* Forward Candace Parker has been suspended for one game for throwing a punch.

The ruling hits the Sparks especially hard for tonight's game. Bobbitt, Leslie, Milton-Jones and Parker will all sit out, leaving Marie Ferdinand-Harris as the lone regular starter left in the lineup. Page will begin serving her suspension tomorrow against New York.

For Detroit, Pierson and Mahorn will begin serving their respective suspensions with tonight's game at Houston, as will Braxton and Humphrey. Sam will serve her suspension on Sunday, when the Shock host San Antonio. Powell is injured and will serve her suspension at a later date after being medically cleared to play.

More on this as the day goes on. Fines are usually tied to certain disciplinary action, as well, though the league did not release those penalties.