Donald Sterling -- Sues V. Stiviano & TMZ Over Audio

Former Clippers owner Donald Sterling is suing V. Stiviano and TMZ over the recording and publishing of a conversation he had with Stiviano.

Sterling filed the lawsuit Friday in L.A. ... claiming Stiviano "surreptitiously" recorded their convo sometime between September 2013 and April 2014 -- and then either she, or her agents, provided that recording to TMZ.

TMZ posted the recording on April 25, 2014

In the docs, Sterling accuses TMZ of publishing the tape in violation of his privacy rights -- and says, as a result, he's been damaged "on a scale of unparalleled and unprecedented magnitude." He also says Stiviano and/or TMZ doctored the contents of the recording.