Ballmer officially Clippers owner
LOS ANGELES, CA (TheSpread) – The Los Angeles Clippers officially have a new owner, ending the days of Donald Sterling running the team.
Steve Ballmer’s bid to purchase the Clippers was completed on Tuesday after a California court ruled that Shelly Sterling had the authority to sell the team to him for $2 billion.
“It’s very, very exciting. I’m a basketball nut,” Ballmer said in an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “I’ve got time. I love Los Angeles. I love Seattle, too, which is where we have our home. But the notion of spending a lot of time in Los Angeles has been exciting to me for years. The community down there is great. I look forward to supporting the community, the fan base, the staff, Doc (Rivers) and the players to take this thing to higher heights.”
The Clippers can now solely focus on basketball after a tumultuous end to last season with Sterling’s remarks that led to the sale of the team. The Clippers enter next season as one of the favorites in the Western Conference.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Los Angeles Clippers have 12/1 odds to win the NBA Finals in 2015. Cleveland is the favorite to win it all with 5/2 odds, while the San Antonio Spurs have 4/1 odds.
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