California court denies Sterling's bid to halt Clippers sale

Reuters
Real estate mogul and Los Angeles Clippers NBA basketball team owner Donald Sterling attends the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California May 1, 2012. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California appeals court on Wednesday rejected former Los Angeles Clippers co-owner Donald Sterling's attempt to have the $2 billion sale of the NBA team put on hold, effectively dealing a final blow to Sterling's bid to have the deal blocked. Sterling, who has been banned for life from the NBA for making racist remarks, had asked the court for an immediate stay on the sale brokered by his estranged wife to former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer until Sterling's appeal could be heard by the court. (Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Ken Wills)