Sterling Banned for Life by the NBA

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was banned for life by the NBA and handed a big fine as the league handed down a harsh penalty on Tuesday for his racial remarks caught in a recorded conversation.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver then called on other franchise owners to force the 80-year-old Sterling to sell the team and they agreed almost unanimously. If three quarters of the other 29 owners agree, he will be forced to sell the team he has owned since 1981.

"We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling's views. They simply have no place in the NBA," Silver said at a news conference.

Hours after the penalties were handed down, the Clippers had a cathartic 113-103 victory over the Golden State Warriors to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round playoff series.

The Clippers received raucous cheers when they took the court for warmups before Game 5. Two days earlier, they dumped their team warmup jerseys in a pile at center court in Oakland in a gesture of defiance against their owner before losing Game 4 of the series.

Chris Paul, the Clippers' All-Star point guard and the president of the players' union, issued a brief statement before leading Los Angeles against the Warriors.

"In response to today's ruling by the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver, my teammates and I are in agreement with his decision," Paul said. "We appreciate the strong leadership from Commissioner Silver and he has our full support."

Paul then had 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Clippers won Game 5 and moved within one victory of just the franchise's third playoff series victory since Sterling bought the team nearly 33 years ago.

In the audio recording which sparked the controversy, Sterling was arguing with a woman thought to be his girlfriend V. Stiviano, complaining about her posting pictures of herself on social media embracing Magic Johnson and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player Matt Kemp.

"It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people. Do you have to?" Sterling asks.

Silver said "sentiments of this kind are contrary to the principles of inclusion and respect that form the foundation of our diverse, multicultural and multi-ethnic league."

Silver said he did not know if Sterling would fight to retain ownership of the team, but he cannot attend games or practices, cannot be involved in any personnel decisions or participate in board of governors meetings.

Under Sterling's ownership, the Clippers have been one of the league's least successful teams, but have become a force in the past three years. The current team is a title contender led by Doc Rivers, a black coach whom Sterling brought in from Boston for this season.

"(Silver) made the decision that really was the right one that had to be made," Rivers said. "I don't think this is something that we rejoice in or anything like that. I told the players about the decision, and they were just happy there was a resolution and that it's over."

Silver said the ban applied only to Sterling, and there had been no discussions about whether he could sell to a family member. Sterling's estranged wife, Rochelle, has been closely involved with the franchise for years.

Many owners supported Silver, and none of them publicly defended Sterling.

"We applaud the firm punishment handed out today by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and appreciate the swiftness with which the NBA conducted its investigation," Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob said in a statement.

Sterling, with an estimated net worth of about $2 billion, did not comment, though Silver said he did not apologize for his remarks. Silver said Sterling confirmed that he was the person on the recording.

Rivers canceled practice Monday and declined a meeting request from Sterling. He wouldn't address whether he would return next season if Sterling were still in control.

That might not be an issue if the owners vote to oust the owner.

Sterling is estranged from his wife and had been dating Stiviano, 31. In court documents, Stiviano describes him as a man "with a big toothy grin brandishing his sexual prowess in the faces of the Paparazzi and caring less what anyone else thought, the least of which, his own wife."

Silver said when he first heard the audio, he hoped it had been altered or was fake, but thought it was Sterling. And it doesn't matter if Sterling didn't realize he was being recorded, Silver said.

"Whether or not these remarks were initially shared in private, they're now public, and they represent his views."