Clippers stage silent protest to Sterling

OAKLAND, CALIF. — The Los Angeles Clippers chose not to speak publicly about owner Donald Sterling. Instead, they made a silent protest. In response to Sterling’s purported comments urging a woman to not bring black people to his team’s games, the Clippers on Sunday let their uniforms become a show of solidarity.

They ran out of the tunnel for Game 4 of their firstround playoff at Golden State wearing their warm-ups. Then they huddled at centre court and tossed their warm-ups to the ground, going through their pre-game routine with their red Clippers’ shirts inside out to hide the team’s logo.

Players also wore black wristbands or armbands. They all wore black socks with their normal jerseys.

“It’s just us, only us. We’re all we got,” Clippers star guard Chris Paul could be heard shouting to teammates before they ran out.

The Warriors’ sellout crowd of 19,596, booed the Clippers — as they always do — during introductions. Sterling’s wife, Shelly, was sitting courtside across from the Clippers’ bench. Commissioner Adam Silver had said Donald Sterling would not be at the game.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said before the game that he would remain the only one to speak for the team on this, saying players want to remain focused on basketball. But he acknowledged that has not been easy since TMZ released the alleged recording of Sterling on Saturday.

In the game, Stephen Curry made a career playoff-high seven 3-pointers and scored 33 points, leading the Warriors past the Clippers 118-97 to even the series 2-2.