Al Thornton

Aside from following a diet that focused more on protein and fruit, Clippers forward Al Thornton says something else this season also gave him an energy jolt. After scoring in double digits and shooting over 50% only once in the first four games, Thornton lost his role as a starter for three contests in favor of Rasual Butler. Thornton said after Thursday's practice that his demotion helped spark a turnaround. He has since reclaimed his place as a starter and has scored in double digits in 12 of the last 13 games.

at Washington 107, Denver 97: Former Clipper Al Thornton scored 21 points in his debut with the Wizards. at Philadelphia 106, San Antonio 94: The Spurs have lost eight of their last 10 in Philadelphia. Dallas 95, at Orlando 85: Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points and the Magic shot 16% on three-pointers. at New Orleans 107, Indiana 101: Rookie Darren Collison had his first triple-double (18 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists). Milwaukee 91, at Detroit 85 John Salmons had 18 points, including a game-clinching three-pointer, in his debut for the Bucks.

Welcome to "As the Clippers Turn." Has there been a more, well, interesting 6-9 team? Undoubtedly, yes. But the Clippers are inching toward respectability, and .500, in a most novel way. In the span of four days, they beat a Western Conference powerhouse (Denver) and survived a genuine fright against weak-link Minnesota, which has lost 13 consecutive games. The latter, a 91-87 victory against the Timberwolves on Monday night at Staples Center, came with a certain point guard sitting on the bench for most of the third quarter and a decent portion of the fourth.

The carousel of Clippers continued Wednesday, with the team making its second trade in two days to shed salary in hopes of wooing an elite free agent this summer. About a half hour before a 110-92 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center, the Clippers announced they had acquired forward Drew Gooden from Washington as part of a three-team deal in which they sent forward Al Thornton to the Wizards and backup point guard Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland. The Cavaliers also received forward Antawn Jamison from Washington and the Wizards received center Zydrunas Ilgauskas from Cleveland.

On one hand, there was the nearly undetectable Al Thornton, an oh-so-quiet five points in the first half against the Hawks. Then there was his fourth-quarter, bring-them-out-of-their-seats, one-handed dunk over Atlanta's Solomon Jones, fairly shaking Staples Center on Wednesday night. That's vintage Thornton. "He's got a world of talent," Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said. "The biggest thing with him is consistency."

Al Thornton scored 31 points, Zach Randolph had 25 and the Clippers beat the Atlanta Hawks, 121-97, Saturday night. The Clippers improved to 7-19 on the road and won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 16, a span of 26 games. A poor start doomed Atlanta, which went 5 minutes 48 seconds without a field goal in the first quarter and trailed, 17-4. "Tonight was as close as we've been to our normal rotation," Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

Technically, Al Thornton's high-jump personal best is 6 feet 10 inches, set as a track and field athlete at Georgia's Perry High. But unofficially, he eclipsed that mark playing basketball for Florida State when he leaped over 6-11 Wisconsin center Brian Butch for a dunk, a la Vince Carter in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. "I actually just wanted to lay it up, but it would have been a charge," said Thornton, 23. "I tried my best to clear him and that's what happened."

You might say the Clippers were wounded both physically and mentally. There was Marcus Camby , who tweaked his left ankle in the first quarter and had to come out of the game in visible discomfort less than two minutes into Friday night's game at Utah. "I don't even remember what happened," said Camby, who went on to finish with six points and 13 rebounds in the 111-98 loss to the Jazz. "I remember rolling it. It was a big game. I had to get right back at it. I didn't want to sit out and let it get stiffened up. I'll be all right for tomorrow."

Before eating chicken-fried steak and yams following Sunday's practice, Clippers forward Al Thornton sprinkled so much salt that it caught the attention of Clippers guard Baron Davis. "That doesn't have enough seasoning, huh?" Davis said, laughing. Apparently not, but Thornton doesn't mind. After spending an entire season last year eating what he described as "greasy foods," Thornton hired a personal chef three weeks ago to improve his diet. He hopes that leads into becoming a leaner and quicker player.

Whether it was stretch limos hovering around Staples Center or more designer clothes than you would see except for Fashion Week, the hoopla on the streets did seem a little excessive, a little misplaced. Wasn't this too much for Chris Paul vs. Blake Griffin ? Or did people mix up their dates and show up in the Staples Center/Nokia Theatre area a few days early, thinking the Lakers were opening their title defense? Neither. Instead, it was partly a celebration of the cosmetics company Nu Skin, highlighting its 25th anniversary.

Anybody with basic math skills and a passing knowledge of NBA history had already figured it out. But with two months left in the season, it was still surprising to hear Clippers Coach Kim Hughes admit the obvious Monday. "We're out of the playoffs, clearly," he said. And with his Clippers heading into Tuesday's game at Portland 10 games under .500, trailing eighth-place Portland by 8 1/2 games in the Western Conference and having lost eight of their last nine, it's clear he's right.

Baron Davis called it heartbreaking. Eric Gordon said it was not up to par. Al Thornton? "It was a decent trip," the Clippers forward said Wednesday night at Philips Arena after his team concluded a two-week journey with a 103-97 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. "We could have done a lot better, but it was a decent trip." Asked what he meant by "decent," Thornton fell silent for several seconds. "What was our record on this trip, anyway?" he inquired. Informed it was 2-6, Thornton chuckled and said, "I guess not so decent, then.

Clippers tonight VS. CHICAGO When: 7:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: Prime; Radio: 980. Records: Clippers 18-22, Bulls 18-21. Record vs. Bulls (2008-09 season): 0-2. Update: Flu-like symptoms seem to be running through the Bulls, of late. Guard John Salmons stayed behind in a Bay Area hospital Monday night to get checked out, but guard Kirk Hinrich, who missed Monday's afternoon game against the Golden State Warriors, was able to practice Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Wins over Boston and Denver, and close calls against Cleveland at Staples Center the last two seasons, plus one big breakthrough victory against the Lakers on Jan. 6. Good teams? The Clippers don't seem to have much trouble rising to the occasion when the lights on the marquee are a bit brighter and the very best arrive in town. (Well, there was that 40-point loss to the Lakers on Friday.) Still, often rising to the occasion against the better teams has its flip side.

Looks as if that Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill arrived at the Clippers' training facility just in time. It was, of course, supposed to be for one injured patient named Blake Griffin , representing another step in his long-and-winding rehabilitation assignment. The Clippers' rookie power forward went through the paces on the machine Thursday, and his close buddy and teammate DeAndre Jordan decided to try it out and looked like a cartoon character, clowning around on the high-tech apparatus.

If you wanted to see what $82 million sitting on the bench looks like, well, it was in full view at the Wachovia Center on Saturday night. Not that many people were on hand to see it, of course, because of the blizzard-marred night in Philadelphia. And staying inside and watching the Weather Channel was a much bigger lure than leaping over snowdrifts to get into the arena. Then again, Philadelphia 76ers fans have seen it before, and they'll probably see it many more times this season.

AT MIAMI Time: 4:30 PST. On the air: TV: Channel 5. Radio: 710. Where: American Airlines Arena. Records: Clippers 10-37, Heat 25-21. Record vs. Heat: 1-0. Update: The Heat has shown an inability to defend in recent days, giving up 114 points in a loss to Indiana on Friday and 111 in a loss to Dallas on Saturday. The Clippers? Well, they had shown an ability to excel against the minnows of the NBA -- three wins against Oklahoma City and one against Minnesota, at least before the Timberwolves started to turn it around.

Clippers tonight VS. CHICAGO When: 7:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: Prime; Radio: 980. Records: Clippers 18-22, Bulls 18-21. Record vs. Bulls (2008-09 season): 0-2. Update: Flu-like symptoms seem to be running through the Bulls, of late. Guard John Salmons stayed behind in a Bay Area hospital Monday night to get checked out, but guard Kirk Hinrich, who missed Monday's afternoon game against the Golden State Warriors, was able to practice Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Aside from following a diet that focused more on protein and fruit, Clippers forward Al Thornton says something else this season also gave him an energy jolt. After scoring in double digits and shooting over 50% only once in the first four games, Thornton lost his role as a starter for three contests in favor of Rasual Butler. Thornton said after Thursday's practice that his demotion helped spark a turnaround. He has since reclaimed his place as a starter and has scored in double digits in 12 of the last 13 games.

With the Clippers down 15 points to the Memphis Grizzlies after two quarters, Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy told his team that the Clippers were being far too accommodating a host at Staples Center. "What I said at halftime was, 'Look, they're too comfortable out there,' " Dunleavy said of the Grizzlies, who had thoroughly dominated a Clippers team that looked flat-footed and uninspired. But that all changed in the fourth quarter, when the Clippers finally turned aggressive, rallied to overcome a 20-point Memphis lead and beat the Grizzlies, 98-88, Sunday.