Steve Ballmer turns Lakers locker room into owner’s lounge

The Los Angeles Clippers are free to do what they want with the Staples Center now that they have begun their playoff run and the Los Angeles Lakers are no longer playing, and Steve Ballmer is taking full advantage.

The Clippers hosted the San Antonio Spurs for Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series on Sunday night. Ballmer, who purchased the team for $2 billion last year, decided to make himself at home before and after the game by expanding his personal real estate.

Steve Ballmer has turned the Lakers' locker room into an "owner's lounge."

— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) April 20, 2015

Best sign of the times in Los Angeles: The Lakers' Staples Center locker room has been converted to Steve Ballmer's lounge for the night.

— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) April 20, 2015

Ouch. If you’re a Lakers fan, that has to sting.

The Lakers have always owned the Staples center. They’re clearly the more successful franchise, but the Clippers have the upper hand at the moment. And if you don’t think Ballmer did that to zing the other LA team, you obviously haven’t seen the way he bugs out during games. It was more of the same as his team was dominating the Spurs on Sunday.