NBA: Los Angeles Clippers take a stand against owner Donald Sterling

Los Angeles Clippers players took a stand last night against their owner, Donald Sterling’s racist comments.

The team made their point to absent team owner, but could not make one on the court as the Golden State Warriors took a 118-97 win to level their Western Conference play-off series at 2-2.

Sterling is at the centre of a huge controversy in the NBA after allegedly making racist comments which are now being investigated by the league.

Clippers players reportedly considered boycotting their game against the Warriors but while they chose to play, they pointedly removed all Clippers branded gear during the warm-up and practised wearing their t-shirts inside out. As this was a road game, their game jerseys simply read “Los Angeles”.

Perhaps distracted by the storm of controversy, Los Angeles started cold as Stephen Curry lit up the scoreboard, and a late rally came up short as the Warriors pulled away at the death

The Clippers ran out of the tunnel for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series at Golden State on Sunday wearing their warm-up uniforms.

They huddled together and tossed their uniforms the ground and went through their pre-game routine with their red Clippers’ shirts on inside-out to hide the team’s logo.

Players also wore black wristbands or armbands. They all wore black socks with their normal jerseys. Sterling did not attend Sunday’s game, which the Clippers lost 118-97.

The players again chose to remain silent and not speak out on Sterling’s alleged comments before the game.

Coach Doc Rivers said he would be the only one to speak for the team on the issue.

“Our message is to play,” said Rivers.

“Our message is that we’re going to let no one and nothing stop us from what we want to do. And I think that’s a good message. I really do. I think that’s the message we’re trying to send. And if we can pull this off all the way, I think that would be a terrific message.”

In the recording attributed to Sterling, posted on the website TMZ, he questions his girlfriend’s association with ethnic minorities.

The man asks the woman not to broadcast her association with black people or bring black people to games, specifically Los Angeles Lakers’ legendary Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.