The LA Clippers triumphed despite their owner's racism scandal while the fancied Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder also emerged from torrid seven-game series to reach the NBA basketball playoffs second round.
The Clippers advanced with a 126-121 win over fierce Western Conference rivals the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles to take their series 4-3.
They successfully put aside the controversy surrounding the Clippers' billionaire owner Donald Sterling, who was banned for life from NBA activities during the week after some racially-charged remarks were made public.
The Eastern Conference's top-seeded Indiana Pacers, pushed to the brink of elimination, beat the Atlanta Hawks 92-80 to reach the second round of the playoffs.
Indiana will face the Washington Wizards in the second round.
New Zealander Steven Adams Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the second round with a dominant 120-109 triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies in game seven in Oklahoma.
The Thunder next face the Clippers.
