National Basketball Association

Heat show support of Clippers — then complete sweep of Bobcats

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:52 p.m. ET

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While the NBA prepares to address the racist remarks allegedly made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling, other NBA teams are wasting no time in showing support for their Los Angeles brethren.

After Clippers players took the court before Sunday's Game 4 at Golden State with their warmups turned inside out in a show of unity and protest, the Blazers and Rockets reportedly later followed suit with their own protest before their game that night. And on Monday the Miami Heat joined the movement in Charlotte before their game against the Bobcats, turning their warmup clothes inside out.

According to sideline reporter Rachel Nichols, while the Heat don't have a problem with team owner Micky Arison, they told Nichols it was an effort to support the Clippers' protest. Before the game, Heat coach Eric Spoelstra had alluded to the fact Miami would be doing something in support of what the Clippers had done, but LeBron James & Co. waited until they got onto the hardwood to show what the support would be.

Once the game began, however, it was business as usual for Miami, which completed its first-round sweep of Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats with a 109-98 win behind 31 points behind James.

Miami and its star did get a scare, however, when James went down with a thigh bruise. But he got up and scored 19 points after the injury, to go along with nine assists.

"It's definitely sore," James told reporters after the game. "I'm fortunate we were able to close out tonight and I can give it a little rest."

As for the NBA, the league announced on Monday that it will discuss the Sterling investigation at a Tuesday news conference.

Check out some images of the Heat's gesture below:

Heat players follow Clippers lead and turn their warmup shirts inside out before Game 4 vs Bobcats. pic.twitter.com/8gWln67Ngs
— Michael Wallace (@WallaceNBA_ESPN) April 28, 2014

Echoing Clippers yesterday, Heat come out for warmups, throw logo shirts down at midcourt & wear warm ups inside out pic.twitter.com/3bNQEd8woq
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) April 28, 2014

The Clippers, who lost Game 4, return to action on Tuesday night, playing in Staples Center in their first home game since the comments came to light over the weekend. On Monday, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers spoke to the media and said he believes the voice on the recordings is indeed that of Sterling, and also acknowleged:

"After the game (Sunday), I was thinking, 'Wow, we've got 48 more hours,' but I'm not sure now. I don't know if it's gotten worse because there's more thought. I just don't know."

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