This is the cbs evening news. Axelrod good evening. This is our western edition. Im jim axelrod. The National Basketball association is investigating what it calls disturbing and offensive comments, apparently made by a team owner. Donald sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, is at the center of a controversy thats been exploding since this morning after the web site tmz posted audio they say is sterling making racist remarks about African Americans. This is the longest tenured owner in a league whose players are mostly black. The clippers are in the middle of a playoff series, and sterlings players are said to be furious. Late today, the Clippers Organization said it does not know if the tape is legitimate or has been altered. But as vinita nair reports, sterling did apologize to anyone who may have been hurt by the remarks attributed to him. Reporter tmz is not commenting on how they got the recording or why the nineminute argument was taped, but they say its the voice of