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LOS ANGELES -- Doc Rivers couldnt begin the Los Angeles Clippers only day of preparation for Game 7 in the film room or on the practice court. The coach was downtown at the Clippers team offices Friday, meeting with an angry roomful of ticket-sellers and marketers still outraged by owner Donald Sterlings racist comments. "Ill say this much: Our players thought about not working. So did our employees, and they still felt that way," Rivers said. "They needed somebody to ask them to continue to work and support us. Were still trying to put this thing together." For both the Clippers and the Golden State Warriors, basketball has been secondary for much of this extraordinary series. But after the most tumultuous week in Clippers history, the first round is finally down to its grand finale. The Clippers will host a seventh game for the first time in franchise history on Saturday night, hoping to draw energy from their Staples Center crowd for a cathartic victory. The winner gets a second-round date with Oklahoma City or Memphis. "Weve got to protect home court," Clippers centre DeAndre Jordan said Friday. "Our season is tomorrow." The Warriors have been just one obstacle faced by the Clippers, who endured sleepless nights and immense scrutiny while their owner was exposed and subsequently banned for life from the NBA between playoff games. Los Angeles has lost two of three games since the Sterling saga began, playing lifelessly in Game 4 before struggling along with the Warriors in Game 6 on Thursday night. When the Clippers went back to work Friday, Sterling-related memorabilia had been removed from the trophy case in the hallway at their palatial $60 million training complex built by Sterling six years ago. Even the "Sterling Drive" sign outside the Playa Vista facility had been taken down. The Clippers missed their chance to wrap the series in Oakland, but the Pacific Division champions played all year for the chance to finish a series on their home court. "Its going to be tough, and youre going to face adversity, and we clearly have faced adversity in this round," said Blake Griffin, who managed just 17 points on 8-for-24 shooting in Game 6. "I think its just important that we all stayed the course and had positive thoughts about it. It is a Game 7, but its still a playoff game. It doesnt change a whole lot." Neither team plans to spend much time working on tactics or adjustments after six games of seeing everything their opponent has to offer. Both teams arent saying much about various nagging injuries, from Chris Pauls strained left hamstring for the Clippers to Jermaine ONeals sprained right knee for Golden State. Instead, two relatively inexperienced playoff teams are eager to show off everything theyve learned about perseverance and toughness over the past two weeks, culminating in a rare winner-take-all finish to their series. "Im not sure that both teams love each other, but Im pretty positive that both teams have tremendous respect for each other," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. The Clippers core played a Game 7 two years ago, beating Memphis on the road for just their second playoff series victory since Sterling bought the team in 1981. Jordan and Griffin said there was little to draw from that victory, with Jordan barely remembering it. The Warriors havent played a Game 7 since 1977, no surprise for a franchise with just three playoff berths in the last 20 years. When asked if an injury could keep him out of Game 7, Paul scoffed. "Ill be there," Paul said. "Seven-thirty, that balls throwed up, Ill be there. Cant wait." Even with the Clippers on the front page during this series, Golden State has plenty of its own internal drama. Jackson could be coaching his final game for the Warriors after the club ownerships reluctance to publicly back his return despite the most successful two-year stretch in two decades. "I think weve had more controversy than them throughout this whole season that gets overlooked, kind of thrown under the rug a little bit," Golden States Andre Iguodala said. "Weve had some battles this year weve had to deal with, but its kept us together and made us stronger." Authentic Tyler Bozak Jersey . And thats good news for Canada. Kelly, who plays No. 8 at the back of the scrum, is captain of the Canadian womens team. Authentic David Perron Jersey . Dr. James Andrews is to operate next week on the 24-year-old pitcher, who made the AL All-Star team last year. Moore will be the first Rays pitcher to undergo Tommy John surgery since Jason Isringhausen in June 2009. City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play. Authentic Robby Fabbri Jersey .com) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quickly found themselves a new offensive coordinator, and one thats quite familiar with the NFC South. Authentic Keith Tkachuk Jersey .Y. - Phil Varone was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Rochester Americans edged the Toronto Marlies 3-2 on Sunday in American Hockey League action.SUNRISE, Fla. -- Henrik Zetterberg didnt wait long to make an impact in his first game back from injury. Zetterberg scored a goal in the first period to lift the Detroit Red Wings over the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Saturday night. Zetterberg returned after missing 11 games with a herniated disk in his back. Zetterberg leads the Red Wings with 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists). "It was nice after a little break here to come back and get a good start. We got two points and we won," Zetterberg said. Gustav Nyquist, Brendan Smith and Daniel Alfredsson also scored for Detroit. Jonas Gustavsson stopped 30 shots. Pavel Datsyuk had two assists. The Red Wings were happy to have their leading scorer back. "Its huge. Hank brings so much to this team, both on and off the ice," Nyquist said. "With him and Pav (Datsyuk) playing you can really feel the difference. Thats why theyre our leaders." Sean Bergenheim scored two goals and Nick Bjugstad also scored for Florida. Scott Clemmensen made 27 saves for the Panthers. The Red Wings have won three of four and beat the Panthers for the first time in three games this season. "We won three out of four here suddenly and some things are better," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. The Panthers lost their third straight game. "We showed a lot of battle," Bjugstad said. "We fought back and worked hard. Unfortunately, it didnt go the way we wanted it to." With the game tied at 2, the Red Wings scored twice in the first 1:20 of the third. Smith one-timed a shot from the right circle that went over Clemmensens head to give Detroit a 3-2 lead at 42 seconds of the period. The goal was Smiths first of the season in 30 games. Nyquist poked in a rebound 38 seconds later that stretched the lead to 4-2. Bergenheims second goal of the game made it 4-3. His shot from the high slot went five-hole on Gustavsson at 44:27.dddddddddddd Bergenheim earned his second two-goal game this season. The other was on Nov. 25 against Philadelphia. "It doesnt really mean anything. Disappointment is whats on everybodys mind right now," Bergenheim said. Trailing 2-0, the Panthers scored twice in just over two minutes in the second period to tie the game. Florida closed to 2-1 on Bergenheims power-play goal at 12:52. Bergenheim took a pass from Brian Campbell in front of the crease and backhanded it past Gustavsson. Bjugstad tied the game on a breakaway, bringing the puck to the crease and slipping it past Gustavssons pad at 14:59 to make it 2-all. "I got kind of lucky that puck landed right on my tape. My eyes were real big when I was skating down the ice," Bjugstad said. The Red Wings scored two power-play goals in the first period. The Red Wings scored on their first shot of the game. Alfredssons ripped a shot from the right circle 12 seconds into the power play beat Clemmensen at 3:47 for a 1-0 lead. Alfredsson has five points in his past four games. Zetterberg made it 2-0 when he took a cross-ice pass from Datsyuk at the dot in the right circle and wristed it over Clemmensens glove and into the net at 14:29. Zetterbergs presence seemed to fire up the team. "Its not only all the goals and points he scores, its the small things that helps everyone," Gustavsson said. "It was great to see him back." NOTES: The Red Wings will play six of their next seven games on the road. Their only home game will be against Toronto at Michigan Stadium on New Years Day in the Winter Classic. ... Winger Justin Abdelkader returned after missing five games due to a concussion. ... Panthers goaltender Tim Thomas was activated off the injured list after missing the past seven games with a groin injury and is expected to start on Sunday against visiting Montreal. ... C Marcel Goc got his 100th career assist. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '