NBA's Warriors were ready to forfeit in protest against Sterling

By RICK SOLEM

The protest was to walk off the court right after tip-off.

The Golden State Warriors were supposedly ready to forfeit Tuesday night’s playoff game if the punishment for the racist remarks by L.A. Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling weren’t severe enough.

“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 told Mercury News. “We would deal with the consequences later but we were not going to play.”

I don’t believe it. It’s an easy thing to say after the punishment was given.

Sterling was banned for life from the NBA earlier in the day and NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he was going to do “everything in his power” to strip Sterling of owning the team.

So, the Warriors didn’t have to set forth their plan to protest. Or, maybe, they could say, after the fact, that was their plan.

And what would the walkout have proved had the punishment not been severe enough?

The fans had already paid Sterling for tickets. All it would have done was disrespect those who paid to go to the game and those at home ready to watch.

It’s also hard to believe a team would sacrifice a playoff game, though they were hoping the Clippers would have done the same.

Maybe the two teams should have went to the outdoor courts on Venice Beach and played the game in protest.