Society has come a long way from relying on a duel to defend family honor.

Gone are the days of a quick glove to the face and clash between opponents; one out to avenge a wronged kin, the other to solidify seniority.

Today issues are settled rarely by hand-to-hand combat. And when something does result in fist-to-cuffs, it never has the glamour of those old Arthurian tales. Fights never resemble romantic, valiant battles of pride, but instead spastic, clumsy, spur-of-the-moment bar brawls.

So when the New York Knicks’ Antonio Davis ran into the stands during a game against the Chicago Bulls, his attempt to protect his wife was mildly refreshing.

Davis claimed a man, who he believed to be intoxicated, touched his wife and acted aggressively toward her. He jumped into the crowd and ran several rows into the seats to step between the two.

No punches were thrown. No mob mentality spread throughout the stadium. Nothing happened beyond Davis sending a message – this was his family and no one has the right to threaten it.

But as chivalrous as it was, it was still against league rules. The National Basketball Association suspended Davis for five games.

His suspension, as was his reaction and trip into the stands, is the right move.

The league should have suspended the player.

After last season’s melee which saw the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons drag a fight from the court in to the stands, and subsequently involve fans, the NBA should have its guard up against such situations.

His suspension upheld the standards instituted from the Pistons/Pacers fight.

If Davis did not receive a suspension, it would have created a gray area in which the league would be forced to determine what sceneries are OK for a player to enter the stands.

As the cliche goes, two wrongs do not make a right, but in this case, two rights do.