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NEW YORK -- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver delivered the swiftest, strongest penalty he could, then called on NBA owners to force Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling to sell the team for making racist comments that hurt the league. Almost unanimously, owners supported the commissioner Tuesday, as he handed down one of the harshest penalties in the history of U.S. sports. "We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterlings views. They simply have no place in the NBA," Silver said at a news conference. Sterling, 80, is banned for life from any association with the league or the Clippers, and was fined $2.5 million -- the maximum allowable under the NBA constitution. If three-fourths of the other 29 owners agree to Silvers recommendation, Sterling will be forced to sell the team he has owned since 1981. A message left seeking comment at Sterlings business office hadnt been returned Tuesday afternoon. Team spokesman Seth Burton said in an email that the Clippers had no plans to issue a statement from Sterling on Tuesday. Players and others cheered Silvers quick action, with union officials saying that if the leagues punishment hadnt included a mandate for Sterling to sell the team, players were considering boycotting playoff games, including Tuesdays Golden State Warriors-Clippers matchup, the teams first home game since the scandal erupted. "We wanted to be a part of this decision, and we wanted Adam Silver to know where we stood. And we were very clear that anything other than Sterling selling his team was not going to be enough for us," said Roger Mason Jr., the first vice-president of the players union. 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 Game 5 of their tied playoff series. "In response to todays 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." Sterlings comments -- which were recorded by his girlfriend and released by TMZ on Saturday -- harmed the league, Silver said. Sponsors were threatening to abandon the NBA, and criticism was coming from fans on social media and even the White House. Sterling criticized V. Stiviano -- purportedly the female voice on the recording -- for posting pictures of herself with black athletes Magic Johnson and Matt Kemp. "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that youre associating with black people. Do you have to?" Sterling asks the woman on the recording. "Sentiments of this kind are contrary to the principles of inclusion and respect that form the foundation of our diverse, multicultural and multiethnic league," Silver said. The NBAs longest-tenured owner keeps his team for now -- and Silver said he didnt know if Sterling would fight to do so permanently. But he cant attend games or practices, cant be involved in any personnel decisions or participate in board of governors meetings. Just three days after the scandal broke, and hours before the Clippers hosted their biggest game of the season, Silver apologized to some of the leagues black pioneers while meting out a punishment he believed would satisfy outraged players and fans. Sterlings Clippers have been one of the most incompetent franchises in pro sports, and nearly all of their previous seasons would have been finished by now. But after the most successful two-year stretch in Clippers history, the current team is a title contender led by Doc Rivers, a black coach whom Sterling brought in from Boston and paid $7 million a year. "(Silver) made the decision that really was the right one that had to be made," Rivers said before the Clippers game. "I dont think this is something that we rejoice in or anything like that. I told the players about the decision, and I think they were just happy there was a resolution and that its over, at least the start of it. I think were all in a better place because of this." Silver said the ban applied only to Sterling, and there had been no discussions about whether he could sell to a family member. 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. The fine will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts, Silver said. 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. Silver hasnt even been on the job three months and already had to face a crisis that threatened the league not only financially -- with several companies ending or suspending their sponsorships of the Clippers -- but more importantly, socially. The NBA survived the Indiana Pacers brawl with Detroit Pistons fans, and referee Tim Donaghy betting on games he officiated. But this brought a different level of outrage, particularly because the league could have done something sooner about Sterling, who has faced federal charges of civil rights violations and racial discrimination in his business dealings. "This has all happened in three days, and so I am hopeful there will be no long-term damage to the league and to the Clippers organization," Silver said. "But as I said earlier, Im outraged so I certainly understand other peoples outrage." After the announcement, the Clippers website had a simple message: "We are one." "We wholeheartedly support and embrace the decision by the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver today. Now the healing process begins," the Clippers added in a statement. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Raptors, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon. "As a proud member of the National Basketball Association, we stand strongly in our belief that the comments attributed to Mr. Sterling have no place in our society or sport. Our organization will always work to contribute to a culture of diversity and acceptance in this league and fully support the actions taken today. We thank commissioner Adam Silver, and all of the NBA players, for their leadership on this important issue." Rivers cancelled practice Monday and declined a meeting request from Sterling. He wouldnt address whether he would return next season if Sterling were still in control, a stance reaffirmed by the coach before Game 5 of the Clippers playoff series with Golden State. 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 doesnt matter if Sterling didnt realize he was being recorded, Silver said. "Whether or not these remarks were initially shared in private, theyre now public, and they represent his views." Andriy Yarmolenko Jersey .Do you have to be that close? Federer snapped at a TV cameraman hovering nearby as he received medical advice after losing a set on Wednesday.For Nadal and Sharapova, the nuisance was coming from the lowly-ranked qualifiers across the net. Nuri Sahin Jersey . Two weeks after suffering a concussion, Foles will start in place of Michael Vick, who is out for the second time this season with a hamstring injury. http://www.dortmundfcfanshop.com/c-14-ch...und-jersey.aspx. The 27-year-old hit .209 in 86 at-bats last year after missing the 2010 season following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Abdou Diallo Jersey . Rinehart joins safety Darrell Stuckey and linebacker Donald Butler as potential unrestricted free agents who are remaining with the team. Dan-Axel Zagadou Jersey PHILADELPHIA - Phoenixs Eric Bledsoe smiled and explained he was only joking when he said the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats could defeat the winless Philadelphia 76ers in a series.No harm, no foul.Well, not quite.He might have wished he could take it back after Nerlens Noel knocked him on his back only 30 seconds into the game. Noel showed some rare fight for the hapless Sixers, wasting no time sticking up for his team, even if it meant former Wildcat-on-Wildcat abuse.Bledsoe shook off the foul and the one-liner to turn this one into the latest laughter in Philly.Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points and Markieff Morris had 18 to lead the Suns past the Sixers 122-96 on Friday night.The Sixers have lost their first 12 games and are just six losses shy of matching the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets for worst start in NBA history.They need four more straight losses to top the 1972-73 Sixers for worst start (0-15) in team history and could challenge those 76ers as the worst 82-game season team (9-73) in NBA history.I respect those guys over there, Bledsoe there. We could have come out and lost this game.Bledsoe said this week Kentucky could beat the Sixers in a playoff series and Philadelphia might be able to take one game. Noel failed to find the humour and went after Bledsoe and fouled him. Bledsoe popped right up and ran his chest into Noel. The two exchanged words and had to be separated as the crowd cheered in delight.Bledsoe said he was warned by an unnamed Sixer that he would get mauled in the paint.Word got back to me, he said. You could tell (it was intentional). Look at the tape.Noel, who had three points and five rebounds, said he was just trying to protect the rim.I thought I blocked the shot, at first, he said. Then I felt his head. Its nothing personal.Perhaps fueled by Noels early moxie, the Sixers grabbed a nine-point lead and led 27-26 at the end of the quarter.Stick that quarter on Philadelphias season highlight reel. There was nothing else to pick the rest of the game.In the final box, Noels foul meant nothing.I dont know what message youre going to send, Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. So you fouled him hard. Bigg deal.dddddddddddd.The Suns shot 69 per cent in the first half and easily shook off the early challenge with a 20-4 run to win their third straight game.The Suns scored 41 points in the second quarter. Thomas opened the quarter with a driving layup for the lead, Noel clanged both free throws and Gerald Green hit a 3-pointer to turn the game around.Thomas and Green sparked a bench effort that saw the Suns go 14 of 17 in the half for 36 points. The Sixers scored 44 total points in the half.Thomas made all five shots from the floor, all five free throws and was 2 of 2 from 3-point range for a flawless 17 points.Six other Suns scored in double figures. The Suns led by as many as 34 points and made 21 of 23 free throws.Phillys K.J. McDaniels muffed an alley-oop and had a layup waved off at the horn in the third. With the Sixers down 31 in the third, what was left of another thin crowd booed the Sixers off the court headed into a timeout.The Suns rested their starters in the fourth.We tried to tell those guys to come out in the third quarter and really go after it so we could rest, Hornacek said.Michael Carter-Williams led the Sixers with 18 points.The Sixers were left hoping Saturdays game at New York will be the one that ends the winless skid.TIP-INSSuns: P.J. Tucker was whistled for a technical foul. ... Anthony Toliver and Marcus Morris each hit three 3-pointers. The Suns hit 13s on 31 attempts (42 per cent).76ers: Philadelphia forward JaKarr Sampson was assigned to the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League. ... The 76ers havent won since last seasons finale on April 16. ... In NBA history, two teams have started 0-13; three have started 0-15; one started 0-16; two started 0-17 and the Nets were 0-18, according to STATS LLC. ... Carter-Williams, Noel and Tony Wroten started together for the first time this season.POINT TOTALS:The Suns scored a season-high 122 points, the sixth time they have scored 110-plus points this season. The Sixers have allowed 110 or more points five times this season, including 120-plus three times.UP NEXT:Suns: At Indiana on Saturday.76ers: At New York on Saturday. 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