Fragen und Antworten » While coach Doc Rivers high-fived fans and

LOS ANGELES -- When the final buzzer sounded on the longest two weeks of the Los Angeles Clippers careers, they felt more exhaustion than elation. While coach Doc Rivers high-fived fans and pumped his fist at the crowd, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul quietly congratulated each other. They had just persevered through seven exhausting playoff games amid enormous distractions leading to their owners lifetime banishment from the NBA. A franchise that once redefined losing was a winner despite it all -- and theres no telling how much farther these new Clippers can go. Griffin scored 24 points, Paul had 22 points and 14 assists, and the Clippers outlasted the Golden State Warriors 126-121 in Game 7 on Saturday night to win their first-round playoff series. "Im just happy we pulled it out," Paul said. "Its going to sound crazy, but it was all about tonight. Everything else was in the past. We didnt dwell on all that stuff, and not to diminish how serious everything has been in the past week or so. It was all about basketball tonight." Jamal Crawford scored 22 points for the third-seeded Clippers, who earned the franchises third playoff series win in 38 years with the highest degree of off-court difficulty imaginable. Less than a week after dumping their team warmup jerseys at centre court in a pregame gesture of defiance against Donald Sterling, the Clippers earned a cathartic win and a second-round date with the Oklahoma City Thunder, starting Monday night. "I just thought with all this stuff, this team just needed this win," Rivers said. "This was a hard week. It feels like two months. I just needed to be able to smile and laugh and cheer, and be proud of something. And I was very proud of my players." Sterling was banned for life from the NBA on Tuesday after a recording of racist comments by the 80-year-old billionaire was made public. The Clippers endured sleepless nights, constant public scrutiny and a failed attempt to close out the series in Game 6 before they finally hung on to beat Golden State. Sterlings long-estranged wife, Rochelle, cheered and clapped from the back of the lower bowl of Staples Center, where most of the advertising signage was illuminated again after the advertiser walkout sparked by Sterlings comments. "Its been a crazy ride for us," said DeAndre Jordan, who had 15 points and 18 rebounds. "I commend our guys for sticking with it. Its been a roller coaster, but we came out and had a job to do, and we did it." Stephen Curry had 33 points and nine assists, but Golden State blew a lead with 2:10 left in Game 7. Draymond Green scored 24 points for the Warriors, who lost their first Game 7 since 1977 and failed to advance in consecutive postseasons for the first time since that same year. "We fought so hard this whole series, this whole season," Curry said. "It stings. Its disappointing for sure." An exhausting series ended with one last well-played game between the California powers who traded the lead throughout the second half. Los Angeles couldnt seize control of the first home Game 7 in franchise history until the final minutes -- and the Clippers did it in fitting Lob City style. After Griffin put the Clippers ahead for good by muscling home a layup, Jordan blocked Currys layup attempt to set up a fast break leading to J.J. Redicks lob to Griffin for a thunderous slam. Jordan added a dunk on an offensive rebound, and Griffin spun in the air and threw home a layup while getting fouled with 56 seconds left. Jordan threw down another alley-oop from Griffin with 22 seconds left, but Green hit a 3-pointer to trim the lead to 120-118. But Redick, Paul and Darren Collison hit two free throws apiece in the final 12 seconds to ice it. Redick scored 20 points for the Clippers, and Jordan put in a stellar low-post performance for the two-time Pacific Division champions. Klay Thompson managed just 15 points for the Warriors, failing to make a shot in the fourth quarter. Curry had just three field goals in the second half. "I thought it was a hard-fought series that everyone in the organization should be proud of," Jackson said. "We all went through it. The statements that were made were made to all of us. ... We did a good job handling what could go down as the toughest moment in league history, as far as what we had to go through." The game could have been the last for Golden State coach Mark Jackson, who might be on shaky ground with Warriors ownership despite presiding over the long-struggling franchises best two-year stretch in two decades. Curry said it would be "a shock" if Jackson wasnt the Warriors coach next year. "I dont get caught up in it," Jackson said. "Im totally confident, and I have total faith that Im going to be fine." NOTES: The Warriors havent won a Game 7 on the road since the Philadelphia Warriors beat the St. Louis Bombers in the 1948 BAA semifinals. ... Jordan set a franchise record for rebounds in a single playoff series, surpassing Bob McAdoos 94 rebounds for the Buffalo Braves in 1975. Jordan had already set the club record for blocked shots in a series. ... Warriors big man Jermaine ONeal played only three minutes after a collision with Los Angeles Glen Davis in Game 6 left him with a bone bruise on his right kneecap. Walter Brown Jersey . The Indians scored twice in the top of the ninth, getting the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by closer Matt Lindstrom. Axford (0-1) came in seeking his fifth save in as many chances. Danny Ainge Jersey . Austin Watson, Scott Ford, Filip Forsberg and Mark Van Guilder had the other goals for the Admirals (30-21-12). Scott Darling made 30 saves for his 10th win of the season. http://www.celticssale.com/kids-dennis-johnson-celtics-jersey/ .500 ball against teams with winning records, so they needed a huge lift from somebody Tuesday night in a matchup of division leaders. Terry Rozier Jersey . The weekend at Oriole Park has been less kind, with three players suffering varying degrees of injury. The worst ailment of the three, at least optically, is the deep bone bruise suffered by Adam Lind when he fouled a pitch off the top of his right foot in the sixth inning of Saturdays game. Gordon Hayward Jersey .com) - A pair of Eastern Conference rivals will meet on Saturday as D.CLEVELAND - Browns star cornerback Joe Haden will undergo an MRI on Monday after injuring his shoulder in Sundays loss to Cincinnati.Haden walked to the locker room for further evaluation and tests early in the second quarter, with the Browns trailing 17-0. He didnt return, and following the game, Browns coach Mike Pettine said his best defensive player would have the MRI.Its unclear when Haden got hurt, but he did land hard in the end zone while trying to make an interception on a pass by Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton intended for A.J. Green. Haden got his hands on the ball, but it was jarred loose when he made contact with the ground.Haden is having another Pro Bowl-caliber season. He has three interceptions and hes drawn the assignment of guarding the other teams top wide receiver each week.The Broowns also lost rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert with a concussion.dddddddddddd He went out late in the first half, further depleting Clevelands banged-up secondary. The No. 8 overall pick in this years draft, Gilbert had been playing better of late. He returned an interception for a touchdown last week against Indianapolis.The losses of Haden and Gilbert are compounded by the Browns being without rookie cornerback KWaun Williams and safety Tashaun Gipson, who leads the league with six interceptions but missed his third game with a knee injury.The Browns also lost return specialist Marlon Moore with a knee injury.Following the game, Pettine said we have a bunch of guys getting MRIs, but he did not elaborate on any injuries.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '