Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen issued a statement on Monday in response to racist comments allegedly made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling in an audio recording that surfaced on Friday.

"The kind of statements attributed to Clippers owner Donald Sterling, if true, are abhorrent, and not acceptable for the owner of an NBA franchise or anyone in professional sports. We at the Trail Blazers reject any and all such sentiments, and believe NBA leadership should take swift and impactful action in this case."

Allen joins fellow owners Peter Holt (San Antonio Spurs), Micky Arison (Miami Heat), Michael Jordan (Charlotte Bobcats), and Vivek Ranadive (Sacramento Kings), among others, to take a stand against the alleged comments. United States president Barack Obama, NBA legends Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley, and others have criticized Sterling, with some calling for him to sell the Clippers.

The Blazers wore black socks as a tribute to the Clippers during their Game 4 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Like the Clippers, the Blazers also dropped their warm-up jackets at center court before the game. The Clippers had done so to reveal warm-up shirts that they had turned inside out as a silent protest against Sterling.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver pledged Saturday to investigate the comments and he has called a press conference for Tuesday afternoon in New York City to address his findings.

Dave wrote an extended essay about Sterling's comments right here.

Torrid Joe wrote an open letter to Blazers management right here in the FanPosts.

If you're looking for more background on the situation and/or a round-up of reactions, click here and here.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter