Prior to today’s “nuclear” announcement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver regarding Donald Sterling, at least one of the teams in tonight’s Game 5 between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors reportedly had a plan that would have made a hell of a statement. It turns out that Warriors players were going to go through the pre-game player introductions and shake hands with their opponents as they always do, but once it was time for the tip-off, that’s when they’d do something that would undoubtedly leave a lot of people likely upset, possibly impressed and definitely talking about them for a long time.
Their plan, writes Marcus Thompson II, was to simply walk off the court to show that they were just as pissed over Sterling’s comments as anyone else, and they’d only play if he was dealt with in the most serious way possible. Fortunately for the fans in attendance tonight, he was.
“It would have been our only chance to make a statement in front of the biggest audience that we weren’t going to accept anything but the maximum punishment,” Curry said. “We would deal with the consequences later but we were not going to play.”
The message was intentionally bold and controversial, point guard Stephen Curry said. And if they had their way, the Clippers would have joined them in exiting the court.
The wheels were in motion until NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s banishment of Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling appeased the players’ fury. And there were plans being hatched for all the games. (Via the Mercury News)
Had the Clippers agreed to join them, that would have made for a hell of a scene and most likely an arena filled with irate fans who just spent a lot of money on tickets. Say what you want about this threat, Sterling’s words and Silver’s punishment, but this would have been one hell of an ugly scene if it had gone down the way that Stephen Curry had pictured it in his head.
Meanwhile, Clippers Coach Doc Rivers spoke to the press about Silver’s decision earlier this evening, and he expressed how difficult it has been for his team to play through this, as well as his opinion on the guy who signs his checks being banned for life.
“I thought Adam Silver today was fantastic. Personally, I thought he made a decision that really was the right one, that had to be made. I don’t think this is something we rejoice in or anything like that. I told the players about the decision and I think they were just happy it was a resolution. That it’s over.” (Via CBS Sports)
