(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Clippers will try to press on amidst the on-going controversy with owner Donald Sterling Tuesday night when their series with the Golden State Warriors returns to the Staples Center tied 2-2.
After Sterling was allegedly caught on tape making hideous racially insensitive remarks, he did not attend Game 4's loss at Oracle Arena.
Commissioner Adam Silver will have a 2 p.m. ET press conference Tuesday afternoon, where it's expected he will make some announcement about Sterling's punishment.
The team has taken the high road to this point, allowing head coach Doc Rivers to speak on the team's behalf.
"We are all trying to figure out everything as it goes and just do our best and we hope that it is the right answer," Rivers said in a statement. "I'm still going to do my best and do what I think is best for the team and for everybody in this case. It is very difficult because there are so many emotions in this. This is a very emotional subject, this is personal."
The Clippers' players staged a silent protest prior to tip-off Sunday by wearing their pregame shirts inside-out with the team's logo out of sight. They wore black arm or wrist bands and black socks but appeared stuck in warmup mode when the game got underway.
The Warriors blew out the Clippers in Sunday's Game 4, 118-97.
"It's my job as a coach to get them ready and I just didn't feel like I did the right stuff," said Rivers. "I gotta do a better job. Whatever the distractions, whatever, I gotta do a better job. I didn't do my job tonight. I take that personally."
Stephen Curry jumped out to a fast start in Game 4 and the Warriors shot 55 percent from the field in rolling to the win. Curry finished with 33 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, while Andre Iguodala netted 22 points for the Warriors, who had dropped back-to-back games after stealing the opener in LA.
Klay Thompson, David Lee and Harrison Barnes all finished with 15 points.
Curry raced out with 17 points in the first 8:30, hitting all five of his 3- point attempts as the Warriors opened a 20-point lead in the first quarter.
"We tried to come out with a sense of urgency. That's been a big problem in the first three games," said Curry. "As a team we haven't started games off well and they've gotten a double-digit lead each first quarter. So we moved the ball well, guys set great screens and we executed at a higher pace. When we do that, we're tough to guard."
Warriors head coach Mark Jackson inserted Draymond Green into the starting lineup in place of Jermaine O'Neal. Green only finished with four points, but Golden State got the victory.
The Clippers pulled within nine in the fourth but did not climb out of the mammoth hole. Jamal Crawford and Blake Griffin led the club with 26 and 21 points, respectively.
Chris Paul finished with 16 points, followed by 12 from J.J. Redick and 10 out of Matt Barnes.
By Tuesday's tip, the Clippers should know the fate of Sterling and hopefully will get closer to closure. Either way, the series must go on.
"I just believe when the game starts, the game starts and nobody cares anymore," Rivers said following the loss. "Golden State surely didn't care."
Game 6 will be Thursday night back at Oracle Arena.
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