Donald Sterling
By Mitch Chortkoff
Sports Editor
Donald Sterling has been confrontational during his 33 years as the Clippers' owner so it isn't surprising that he isn't taking his lifetime suspension without a fight.
Sterling has a $1.7 billion lawsuit against the NBA in mind after he was banned for life by NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
He is considering several major law firms.
Sterling's advisors aren't disputing the fact that Sterling's comments were racial but they are disputing the fact the tape he made was private.
So, in court the matter of whether the league had a legal right to ban him will have to be determined.
The fact that every Clipper player and member of the coaching staff are happy he is banned seems of little importance to Sterling.
In a development on Monday, the NBA, after consulting with the Clippers, announced it will appoint a CEO to supervise the team's operations.
The NBA Has five days to present Sterling with charges. He then will have three days to respond before the league's Board of Directors takes a vote.
Sterling has told close friends he doesn't intend to sell the team.
As the Clippers reached the end of a highly stressful week by ending their first round series from the Golden State Warriors Saturday night Coach Doc Rivers was far out of his normal demeandor by shaking his fists and yelling at fans.
"I've been told people had never seen me like that," he said afterward. "It's just that after everything our players had been through all week we had to win this game."
The Clippers, who began their second round series Monday night with a rousing 122-105 victory at Oklahoma City ould like to go as far as possible in the playoffs. However, the first round victory was especially satisfying to them.
There's quite a difference between being one of only four Western Conference teams to last past the first round or joining a long list of teams that didn't get that far.
Chris Paul made eight three-point shots as the Clippers dominated from start to finish.
On Tuesday, Kevin Durant was named the NBA's most valuable player. Blake Griffin finished third in the voting and Paul was seventh.
After playing Game 2 Wednesday in Oklahoma the teams will play at Staples Center Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
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