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Less than an hour after NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million for violating league rules through his expressions of offensive and hurtful views, the team released a two-sentence statement. "We wholeheartedly support and embrace the decision by the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver today. Now the healing process begins," the statement read. The Clippers website also greets visitors with the simple slogan, "WE ARE ONE" on a black background containing solely the team logo without any links. A recording became public on Friday, when TMZ.com posted nearly 10 minutes of audio it said is a conversation between Sterling and his girlfriend, in which a man tells a woman he is bothered by her association with African-Americans and asks her not to bring them to Clippers games. Deadspin.com also released another tape, said to be between Sterling and his girlfriend, in which the man tells the woman he supports the players because his money pays for their food, clothes, cars and houses. Silver said on Tuesday that the NBAs investigation into the situation included an interview of Sterling, who confirmed it was his voice on the recording. Silver is also urging the NBA Board of Governors to force Sterling to sell the team. Nearly lost in the middle of the mess is that the Clippers are set to host the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night in Game 5 of their Western Conference quarterfinal with the series even at two games apiece. The Clippers statement added that the organization will hold a press conference Tuesday night prior to their game. Other statements and tweets following the punishment issued by Silver include: "I agree 100% with Commissioner Silvers findings and the actions taken against Donald Sterling," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted shortly after the announcement. "Commissioner Silver showed great leadership in banning LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life," tweeted former Lakers great Earvin "Magic" Johnson. "Former and current NBA players are very happy and satisfied with Commissioner Silvers ruling " "I commend Commissioner Adam Silver in being diligent in how he handled this important matter. He acted swiftly and appropriately with the severity of the penalty and I strongly support his decision," said Atlanta Hawks majority owner Bruce Levenson in a statement. "The Orlando Magic feel the recent reprehensible comments by Donald Sterling were absolutely unacceptable and do not reflect the values and beliefs of our organization or our league. We applaud the leadership of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, as well as head coach Doc Rivers and his players, who are at the epicenter of the situation," read a statement released by the Orlando Magic. Former NBA center and current NBA analyst Shaquille ONeal tweeted, "Way to go, Commissioner Silver! The NBA stands for everybody!" Miami Heat forward LeBron James tweeted, "Commissioner Silver thank you for protecting our beautiful and powerful league!! Great leader!! #BiggerThanBasketball #StriveForGreatness" "Standing ovation for Commissioner Silver. Big time decision standing up for the league and its players. Now, Gotta see it through" tweeted Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. A statement from the Toronto Raptors read, "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." The following statement was released by Golden State Warriors Co-Owner and CEO Joe Lacob on behalf of the entire Warriors organization: "We applaud the firm punishment handed out today by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and appreciate the swiftness with which the NBA conducted its investigation. Similarly, we anticipate that the NBA Board of Governors will act promptly to put this chapter behind us. As I noted on Sunday, the sentiments expressed on the audio recording were completely inappropriate, unacceptable and senseless. We cannot tolerate such feelings or beliefs, not only in the NBA, but in society in general. There is absolutely no room for racism in our world, period." "The Timberwolves stand firmly in full support of the swift and impactful action taken today by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. His leadership and direction in this matter is completely appropriate and appreciated by the Timberwolves organization. We stand unified with Commissioner Silver today and reaffirm our organizations zero tolerance approach to the type of reprehensible behavior which caused this action," read a statement from Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. Houston Rockets Jerseys . Cabrera is hitting .218 with three homers and 16 RBI in 80 games this season. The Padres recalled second baseman Brooks Conrad from Triple-A El Paso to replace Cabrera on the roster. James Harden Jersey . Louis Cardinals won the World Series last season, but after losing first baseman Albert Pujols to free agency and manager Tony LaRussa to retirement, they opened the 2012 season in 12th spot in the TSN. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authe ... ts-Jersey/. Or at least on everyone elses expectations. Costa Rica followed up its surprise win over Uruguay with another World Cup stunner on Friday, beating four-time champion Italy 1-0 to secure a spot in the next round and eliminate England in the process. Ryan Anderson Jersey . -- Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, shot a 2-under 69 on Tuesday to finish first in stroke-play qualifying at the Womens U. Eric Gordon Jersey . That time around, the cage is as much a part of baseballs daily routine as a beer and a hotdog is to a fan in the stands. Coaches, scouts, broadcasters and other media hover, tossing verbal barbs, telling stories and sharing laughs. Occasionally, especially in spring when the atmosphere is relatively laid back, the list of invited guests expands and on this day, Gibbons welcomed two men strongly influential in his life.WASHINGTON -- In the first major league matchup featuring twentysomething stars Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, it was a guy born two decades earlier, Raul Ibanez, who came through with the biggest hit. And after delivering a tiebreaking three-run double as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning to help Trouts Los Angeles Angels beat Harpers Washington Nationals 4-2 Friday, the 41-year-old Ibanez was showered with a particular nickname when he returned to the dugout. "After he got that hit, we were calling him Viejo, -- Old in Spanish," Trout said with a smile. Ibanez might be, um, much more experienced than many of his teammates, but he happens to be leading the Angels this season with 15 RBIs. "These guys make me feel young," he said about his teammates with the Angels, his fifth club in a 19-year career. "And I have five kids at home. Theyre 12 and under, and Im the biggest kid in the house, really. I feel right at home around these guys who are 22, 24, 25 years old. They definitely keep you young." He came through on a night that Trout and Harper went a combined 2 for 8 with zero runs or RBIs, and Albert Pujols went 0 for 5, staying on 498 homers. The 22-year-old Trout, the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year and a two-time MVP runner-up, was 2 for 5 with a pair of singles. The 21-year-old Harper, the 2012 NL rookie honoree, was 0 for 3 with a walk. The two outfielders became pals while teammates in the Arizona Fall League in 2011 and chatted with each other before the game. Neither recent first-round pick in the amateur draft -- Trout was No. 25 overall in 2009, Harper was No. 1 a year later -- was much of a factor once play began, though. Instead, all eyes were on Ibanez, taken in the 36th round in 1992. "Hes been around the block," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. Fernando Salas (1-0) won with a hitless seventh. Joe Smith worked the eighthh and Ernesto Frieri pitched the ninth to earn his second save, despite allowing Desmonds leadoff homer.dddddddddddd Frieri struck out Denard Span with a man on second to end it. The Nationals led 1-0 entering the eighth, when they brought in reliever Tyler Clippard (1-2). Pujols led off and reached on the first of shortstop Ian Desmonds two errors in the inning. Later, Erick Aybars third hit of the night scored Pujols to even it. After Clippard walked Chris Iannetta to load the bases -- "The biggest thing that hurt me," the reliever said -- the lefty-hitting Ibanez came up. "Everybody likes being up in that spot," said Ibanez, the second-oldest player in the majors, behind Clevelands Jason Giambi, 43. "Thats what you play for, thats what you compete for -- to try to be up in that spot -- since you were a kid in the backyard playing." Nationals manager Matt Williams did not have a lefty reliever ready to go, in anticipation of Ibanez being used there, because he wanted Clippard to get through that inning. "Clips been the eighth-inning guy here for a long time," Williams said. "Certainly (his) track record indicates that hes good against lefties. Hes just as effective against left-handers as he is right-handers. So I want to stay with him there." Ibanez, without a hit in his previous 11 at-bats, connected on a changeup, Clippards specialty. "It is a pitch Im getting hurt on," Clippard said, and wondered aloud about whether hes tipping his pitches to opponents. NOTES: Angels 3B David Freese, who is hitting .143 with a .197 on-base percentage, was out of the starting lineup and struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh. ... 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