Los Angeles Clippers

Donald Sterling has finally found a lawyer who will take his case ... and has fired off a letter to the NBA refusing to pay the $2.5 million fine and threatening to sue ... this according to a new report.

Sterling has hired prominent antitrust litigator Maxwell Blecher, reports SI.com, who has already sent the NBA a letter saying Sterling has done nothing wrong and that "no punishment is warranted."

The report says the letter goes on to say that Sterling will not pay the $2.5 million fine the league levied on him, which is already past due.

Sterling's lawyer, the report claims, says the embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner has not violated any article of the NBA constitution and argues that Sterling's "due process rights" have been violated by the NBA.

It was a little chilly at Staples Center last night ... just ask Rihanna.

While the Oklahoma City Thunder/Los Angeles Clippers game was the main attraction, the real show was going on in the stands ... where a braless RiRi strutted around throughout the game.

With her pink hair and a tight white tank top, she made the night more memorable than Blake Griffin and Chris Paul did.

Magic Johnson would NEVER, EVER steal the Clippers ... hell no ... because if he WAS gonna steal a franchise, Magic tells us he'd go after the Lakers instead!!!

Magic just called into "TMZ Live" -- and shot down Donald Sterling's allegations that Magic concocted a diabolical scheme to take over the L.A. Clippers after the racist audio surfaced.

"If I'm gonna set somebody up," Magic said ... "It won't be to buy the Clippers, that's for sure. It'll be to buy the Lakers!"

Of course, Magic says he's not a crook or a thief and would NEVER do anything underhanded like steal a team ... but IF he did, he'd aim WAY higher than the Red and Blue.

Magic Johnson did NOT call Donald Sterling to lull him into silence after TMZ Sports released the audio ... it was Donald who called Magic ... trying to use him as a prop for a Barbara Walters interview ... sources connected with Magic tell TMZ.

Our sources -- who know exactly what went down -- tell us ... Donald called Magic the Monday after TMZ Sports posted the audio and said he wanted Magic to sit with him for the Walters interview as a show of support. We're told Magic scoffed at Donald and ended the call.

As for Sterling's claim Magic somehow knew Stiviano and this may all have been a plot, our sources say that's a flat out lie ... Magic did NOT know Stiviano from Adam. We're told Magic in NO WAY was scheming to buy the Clippers.

Donald Sterling says Magic Johnson is a bad example for the children of L.A. because of what he did to "get A.I.D.S." back in the '90s ... and says he should be ashamed of himself.

Sterling made the comments to Anderson Cooper during his big CNN interview ... saying "To do what [Magic] did and then get A.I.D.S. ... I mean, come on."

For the record, Magic does not have A.I.D.S. -- but was diagnosed H.I.V. positive back in 1991.

Sterling continued his attack on Magic -- saying, "Big Magic Johnson ... what has he done? He's got A.I.D.S."

"What kind of a guy goes to every city and has sex with every girl? Then he catches H.I.V. ... is that someone we wanna respect and tell our kids about? I think he should be ashamed of himself. I think he should go into the background."

Sterling also said he believes Magic tricked him into staying quiet in the days after TMZ Sports published the original audio recording as part of a diabolical plot to take over the Clippers.

Sterling also just called Anderson Cooper a RACIST -- saying, "I think you have more of a plantation mentality than I do ... and I think you're more of a racist than I am."

Sterling didn't explain why he believes Cooper is a racist.

Sterling seems to be in denial about how the players feel about him -- saying they still "love me." He says the media hates him.

V. Stiviano rolled into Beverly Hills Monday afternoon right before rolling the Ferrari Donald Sterling gave her into another car ... TMZ has learned.

Stiviano was driving her red whip behind a black Range Rover when we're told she failed to stop and caused a rear ender. The other driver tells TMZ ... she was wearing her visor at the time of the crash.

We're told V. went insane ... jumping out of the Ferrari and "screaming every obscenity in the book," including, "You know who you're messing with, mother f*****?"

Stiviano told the other driver she had to return the Ferrari ... though she was not specific. As you know by now, the car is one of several vehicles she got courtesy of Donald Sterling.

We're told Stiviano wouldn't ante up her insurance info and had "an assistant" deal with it.

It's pretty incredible ... Donald Sterling goes on the attack against Magic Johnson during his interview with Anderson Cooper.

As you know, a photo of Magic with V. Stiviano that she posted on Instagram was the catalyst for the now-famous recording first posted on TMZ Sports.

Sterling told Cooper he's spoken with Magic twice since the recording became public, and then gratuitously added that Magic has not done enough to help minorities.

But then he went on ... saying Magic was not a good example for the children of L.A.

The interview airs tonight on CNN at 8P.

Donald Sterling has been REJECTED by at least 8 big law firms in his quest to sue the NBA ... we're told because they think he's toxic and would piss off their existing clients.

Multiple sources in the legal world tell TMZ ... Sterling has reached out to a number of extremely large, prestigious firms, both in L.A. and San Francisco, looking for representation ... but none were receptive.

Our sources say partners in the firms feel representing Sterling would alienate both their African American clients and corporate clients that are hyper-sensitive to controversy.

One source closely connected with Sterling tells TMZ ... it's especially galling for the Clippers owner, because a number of partners in these firms have called him from time to time asking for favors, including tickets to games.

Just because it was Mother's Day, that doesn't mean Justin Bieber's mom got ALL his attention at Sunday's Los Angeles Clippers game -- he still found time to catch a glimpse of the hottie a few seats over.

Bieber snuck a peak while his mom was turned around, but you have to wonder if Biebs noticed the GIANT rock she was sporting on her ring finger.

Baby, baby, baby ... OH!!!

Turns out the woman in the photo is Scooter Braun's fiancée -- and Scooter is sitting on the other side of her. So ... definitely not cool, Justin. Not cool.

Barbara Walters may have gotten the mistress and the wife, but Anderson Cooper got the grand prize Sunday ... a sit down with Donald Sterling ... TMZ has learned.

Cooper flew in to Los Angeles this morning, checked into his hotel, and made a bee-line to Sterling's Beverly Hills house, where the interview went down.

Before the interview, Sterling met with his lawyer, who was not present during the interview with Cooper. The interview will air Monday night on "Anderson Cooper 360."

TMZ shot video of Anderson leaving the house after the interview, but he was mum.

Our sources say Sterling has been champing at the bit to publicly defend himself against racism allegations after TMZ Sports posted the now famous recording.

Shelly Sterling says she will file for divorce from Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling "eventually" ... telling Barbara Walters she has signed papers before ... just never filed them.

In an interview scheduled to air later on Sunday, Sterling says she has not followed through with the divorce yet on the advice of her financial advisors.

Like a good son should, Justin Bieber is spending his Mother's Day with his mom ... hangin' out courtside at the Clippers vs. Thunder playoff game in L.A. ... and TMZ Sports has the pic.

Sources at the game tell us ... Bieber and his mom Pattie Mallette seem like they've been having a good time -- and spent some time chattin' with other huge stars including Mark Wahlberg and Floyd Mayweather.

Bieber even wore a shirt to the game ... though, he left his sleeves at home.

Despite saying he'd never attend a Los Angeles Clippers game as long as Donald Sterling was the owner, Magic Johnson showed up at Staples Center for today's game against the OKC Thunder.

According to one reporter for ESPN, it's the first Clippers home game Johnson has attended all season.

It was a photo of Magic with V. Stiviano that triggered Sterling's racist tirade.

Shelly Sterling will take legal action against the NBA if she doesn't have control over her interest in the event of a forced sale of the team. But her lawyer says she is adamant ... the NBA has no right to strip her of her 50% ownership, because "she's an innocent victim."

Sources connected with the Sterling family tell us ... Shelly is actually more involved in the team than Donald Sterling, and she would definitely wants to remain an owner, even if Donald is forced out.

Shelly's lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell, tells TMZ Sports, he is currently in talks with the NBA in an effort to avoid a family sale. O'Donnell is demanding that the NBA allow her to retain her 50% interest. O'Donnell has explained to NBA honchos, Shelly and Donald have led separate lives for years, living miles away from each other, and they do not share the same views.

O'Donnell says, "She's done nothing wrong. She's an innocent spouse," adding, "Shelly loves the team and she will resist any effort to strip her involuntarily of her ownership interest."

Donald Sterling has broken his silence in a recent phone conversation in which he angrily and adamantly says, "I'm not a racist."

The conversation, which we're told was recorded without Sterling's knowledge and posted on Radar Online, is between Sterling and a friend who questioned him about the audio posted on TMZ Sports.

During the conversation, Sterling said ...

-- "It breaks my heart that Magic Johnson, a guy that I respect so much, wouldn’t stand up and say, ‘Well let’s get the facts. Let’s get him and talk to him.’ Nobody tried. Nobody!”

-- "Do you think I told the coach to get white players? Or to get the best player he can get?"

When asked about the NBA trying to force a sale of the Clippers, Sterling responded ... "You can't force somebody to sell property in America. I'm a lawyer. That's my opinion."

Donald Sterling is finally expressing remorse about the racist comments that got him banned from the NBA ... this according to former L.A. Kings owner Bruce McNall who says Donald told him he feels "terrible" during a phone call a few days ago.

McNall was out in Malibu on Wednesday and told us he's been friends with Sterling for years -- and had a conversation with the disgraced L.A. Clippers owner just the other day.

"Oh man, when I talked to him ... he felt terrible," McNall says.

"I mean he was like 'What an idiot I am. I don't know what I was thinking or doing."