Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers aren't trolling the Lakers by turning the team locker room into an owners lounge for the NBA playoffs -- they asked the team for permission and got it ... TMZ Sports has learned.

There were rumblings that the Clips were trying to diss Laker Nation by using their space at Staples Center as Steve Ballmer's personal hangout area ... since the Clips are still playing and the Lakers didn't even come close to the playoffs.

But it just ain't the case -- at least according to Staples Center honcho Lee Zeidman who tells us there was an arrangement made before the 1st playoff game.

"The team inquired about using the Lakers locker room as a space for the Clippers owner. The Lakers gracefully granted use."

He continued, "People are trying to make something out of this, as if the Clippers are pissing off the Lakers by using their locker room. That's not true at all. We'd never use the Lakers space without asking the team."

V. Stiviano ain't gettin' no sympathy from the Clippers -- with Matt Barnes saying he's GLAD she got crushed in her war with Shelly Sterling ... "it couldn't have happened to a better person."

TMZ Sports spoke with Barnes last night ... and it's clear the dude is NOT a Stiviano fan, despite the fact she played a key role in freeing the team from the clutches of its previous racist owner.

"I'm glad she has to pay every penny back," Barnes said ... referring to the $2.6 MILLION judgment she's forced to pay Shelly for the cars, cash and condo that Donald had given her in the past.

Shelly had previously said she wasn't going after Stiviano for the money -- but because she wanted "justice" for all of the harm she had caused the Sterling family.

Shelly Sterling says she didn't go after V. Stiviano for the money -- SHE WANTED JUSTICE -- and says she plans to give away every single cent she won in her crushing court victory to a charity.

Our sources say ... Shelly was "out for blood" from the start -- and really wanted to put the screws to Stiviano for all the crap she put her family through.

In fact, Shelly told the Associated Press ... her lawsuit was about getting even with Stiviano who had "harmed" her in so many ways.

Of course, Sterling won a $2.6 million judgment against Stiviano -- ordering her to fork over the keys to her $1.8 million condo AND $800,000 in cash.

Sterling says she doesn't even want the money -- 'cause she's a billionaire -- and to prove it, she's giving every cent to a worthy charity.

Donald Sterling had no right to shower V. Stiviano with lavish gifts, no matter how good of an archivist she was, because the loot he used to buy all the goodies wasn't his to give away.

A judge just sided with Shelly Sterling, concluding Shelly was still very much Donald's wife when he pulled his shenanigans -- giving V. a duplex, a Bentley, a Range Rover and a Ferrari totaling $2.6 mil.

But don't roll out the tow truck -- Shelly doesn't want the cars ... she wants the money. According to the ruling, $830k of the $2.6 mil is due in cash -- with $430k earmarked for the value of the vehicles.

V. tried in vain to convince the judge Donald and Shelly were separated at the time she scored the goods, so he had every right to shell out the cash. The judge begged to differ, saying Donald had no right to use the Sterling money to fund V.'s lifestyle.

So the question ... how does V. make it right?

Return, return, return.

Here's video of Blake Griffin leaving Warwick nightclub in Hollywood Wednesday night ... with a smokin' hot mystery lady.

No idea who she is ... are they dating? Are they friends? Casual banging pals? We're workin' on it.

Either way, Blake proved an NBA star can still have a good time at a nightclub without getting stabbed or arrested at the end of the night.

The marriage may be over ... but NBA star Matt Barnes says he's finally made peace with his estranged wife Gloria Govan ... telling TMZ Sports, "I'm always gonna love my ex."

We broke the story ... Matt and his reality star wife separated back in September due to "trust issues" and at first, things were pretty nasty between the two.

And even though Matt hasn't formally filed divorce docs yet (we're told it's just a matter of time) ... the L.A. Clippers star told us both sides are finally moving on ... under peaceful circumstances.

"She's always gonna be my homie. She's the mother of my kids," Barnes says.

FYI -- the two were married back in 2012 and have 6-year-old twin boys together.

"She's always gonna be a part of my life ... so I have no ill feelings toward her."

The pimp hand of justice just ruled in Blake Griffin's favor -- because officials have decided to DROP the battery case against the NBA star after they couldn't prove he actually slapped a guy in a Vegas nightclub.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Griffin was charged with battery stemming from an incident at Tao nightclub on October 19th ... when he allegedly put the 5 fingers to some dude's face for snapping a pic without Blake's permission. The man also claimed Blake grabbed his neck and squeezed.

Blake denied the allegations -- and now we're told the charge has been formally dropped after Griffin's attorney Richard Schonfeld provided prosecutors with multiple witness statements contradicting the accuser's story.

Some bad news/good news for L.A. Clippers star Glen "Big Baby" Davis.

The Bad News -- His marriage to his longtime sweetheart and baby mama Jenna Gomez is officially over.

The Good News -- He's got a brand new girlfriend ... and she's a model!!!

Davis and his new flame Jasmin Jaye his up Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills last night where they were on a mission to shoot down rumors that they were dating behind Glen's wife's back.

"I am divorced," Davis said. Davis and Gomez married on December 31st, 2013.

Glen also explained where he and Jasmin met and what first attracted him to her ... and it was all because "she had a big, ol ..."

Kevin Garnett didn't get an employee discount when he bought 1,000 tickets to give away to fans for tonight's Timberwolves game ... dropping more than $20k of his own money, TMZ Sports has learned.

After fans came out in force to attend KG's first game back in Minn. last week, the NBA legend decided to give back ... by hooking up 500 fans with a pair of tix for tonight's game.

Smelled like a team-engineered publicity stunt ... but the V.P. of Communications for the T-Wolves assures us that Kev bought the tickets HIMSELF and paid FULL PRICE for all of 'em.

The rep wouldn't say exactly how much KG spent ... but the cheapest seats go for $21-a-pop.

$21 x 1,000 = $21,000. Not cheap.

KG's career earnings? $315,000,000+ ... so, he can afford it.

Could Jack Nicholson quit on the Lakers completely ... and become a Clippers fan?!

That's what Clippers prodigy Austin Rivers is hoping for ... especially with Jack telling TMZ Sports this week that he's not as obsessed with the Lake Show as he used to be.

Rivers -- the son of Clippers president/coach Doc Rivers -- was out in L.A. and told us, "I'm trying to get him over on our side man!"

Here's the thing ... we already know Jack has pro-Clippers tendencies ... he went to a Clippers playoff game last season. And they definitely have a brighter future than the Lakers.

Plus, Jack already knows his way around the stadium ... since the Clips and the Lakers both play in the Staples Center.

Jeanie Buss ... it might be time to panic.

How does it feel to have the President of the United States pick YOU over Chris Paul in a "Who's The Better Player" debate??

Exactly how you think it feels.

At least that was the take away when we asked that very question to Tony Parker last night -- since it was revealed that Barack Obama had his back in a friendly dispute on the issue with his former personal aide Reggie Love.

In fact, Love wrote about the dispute in his new book -- saying he and Obama went back and forth for years -- with POTUS eventually dropping the "RINGS" argument ... since Parker has 4 and Paul has 0.

Here's something you don't see every day ... a multi-billionaire hailing a cab.

Donald Sterling -- who recently sold the L.A. Clippers for $2 BILLION -- was out in Bev Hills Wednesday when he decided to catch a cab to go home.

Interesting, considering most billionaires in this city either drive themselves ... or use a private chauffeur ... or at least use Uber LUX if they're gonna hit the town.

But not Sterling ... who quietly got in the back seat and was quickly whisked away.

One made it THUNDERSTORM ... the other made it drizzle.

TMZ Sports has learned ... L.A. Clippers star Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Tampa Bay Bucs star Dashon Goldson were two of the stars that hit up the grand opening of Ace of Diamonds in L.A. on Monday.

For the record, Goldson signed a $41.2 million contract in 2013. Davis has made about $26 million in his NBA career.

Which is why it was a bit shocking when Big Baby created his own indoor monsoon that dwarfed Goldson's mini-downpour.

Our strip club sources tell us Davis was throwin' so much cash around, 4 dancers left with $3k each ... and that doesn't include the $5k he dropped around the stage.

Check out the pic below which shows one dancer's take from Davis.

As for Goldson, as one strip club source put it -- "He made it sprinkle."

L.A. Clippers President Doc Rivers says the NBA ain't Little League ... telling TMZ Sports his son Austin Rivers won't be treated ANY DIFFERENTLY now that he'll be joining his team.

FYI -- The Clippers acquired the 22-year-old in a 3-team trade that went through on Thursday.

Hours after the deal, we saw Doc leaving a power dinner with Donald Trump at Boa Steakhouse in West Hollywood and asked him if he was worried that the players thinking Austin will get special treatment because of their relationship.

Rivers is adamant he'll treat Austin just the same as everyone else -- not easier, not harder.

A father has never coached a son in the NBA before -- so the minute Austin takes the court, he'll be making history.

Pretty cool, right?

It got all "Stomp the Yard" in the Staples Center last night ... when Clippers owner Steve Ballmer busted out some EPIC dance moves during the game ... and Magic Johnson LOVED IT!!!

It all went down when Fergie came out to perform during the Clips vs. Lakers game ... when the music took hold of Ballmer's body ... and the body parts began to fly!!!

"That's an owner who can dance and own the team all at the same time," Magic told us on his way out of the arena. "He got better moves than me!"

Doc Rivers is calling BS on reports that his Clippers players don't get along -- telling TMZ Sports, "We all love each other."

Questions have surrounded the Clip squad after a report from an NBA insider that the team -- comprised of stars like Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul -- simply "don't like each other."

But last night in L.A., Rivers shot down the report -- telling our guy there's no bad blood in the organization.