Hey Clips Nation

by clipperpride on Jul 16, 2009 10:43 PM PDT

I've been reading this blog for about 2 years now and haven't really decided to say anything but these long summer days are eating away at me. Anyways one thing thats been eating at me are the many citizens of this blog giving up on Al Thornton. The man had a very respectable rookie year, finishing in the top 3 or 4 i believe for the ROY voting in a very deep draft class. I don't quite understand the disappointment of his sophmore season. Sure he made some mistakes but I still considered him a bright spot in the past season. All i'm trying to say is Al is a big part of this team's future and I believe he can improve upon his defense to become a more complete player. I understand a glue guy would be nice to have coming off the bench or filling the starting line-up if certain match-ups present themselves, but Al Thornton is a flat out player. All i'm saying is Al is a big part of this team's future and he's still young enough to improve upon some of the short comings he experienced last season. Don't give up on the guy my friends.

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I haven't given up on him

He needs work on his passin

by Qlippers on Jul 16, 2009 10:49 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

i mentioned it in another thread. he is stacy patton. we need to bring his mom out to make him pass.

by hans007 on Jul 16, 2009 11:34 PM PDT up reply actions

agree

people are to hard on him, for the 14th pick or whatever he was he has been great value and a player i only see getting better especially with a better team around him, previous years he has been out there by himself while everybody got hurt and he always play hard.

by ImranQ on Jul 16, 2009 11:02 PM PDT reply actions

Al is a stud

I think he can contribute for years to come.

He can be a star if he improves his three balls, becomes a stopper on def, and if he took a more dynamic approach to controlling the ball.

I am rooting for him for sure. I would settle for him picking up one of these things per year.

If the clips could improve at that position with an acquisition, then al might end up sixth man of the year (stll having the ability to pick up these nuances that make players great).

i know when there was the marion buzz, i envisioned al and marion running together. running other teams out of the gym!

i have also been lurking this site for some time, and i am feeling that excitement about the upcoming season. either the clips are on to something new, or we are going to have to stop watching after game 50, hehe.

Clippers Basketball.... It's Masochistic!

by Clipochistic on Jul 16, 2009 11:09 PM PDT reply actions

"He can be a star if he improves his three balls, becomes a stopper on def, and if he took a more dynamic approach to controlling the ball"

Stop thinking about Lebron already. (:

Mike Smith on Eric Gordon: "The Clippers may have found their go to scorer."
On a second note, I want Novak back!

by JackduhSun on Jul 17, 2009 4:53 AM PDT up reply actions

Al Thornton was the most consistent player last year

I don’t remember him missing a lot of games last year and he put up points. Yeah he needs to work on defense and making better plays but those are traits that’ll come soon. Not all players reach their full potential in the first several years of their career. And Thornton has plenty of room to grow like Gordon, Griffin, and Jordan.

by peterghost on Jul 17, 2009 12:16 AM PDT reply actions

Actually,

he needs to work on offense a bit more than defense. However, I don’t completley blame Thornton for the isolaton offense that Dunleavy draws.. or dont draws up. Seems to me that whenever Thornton as the ball, its always going to be an isolation, which makes it easier on the defense because they know that Thornton is probly going to shoot it. (I’m a fan of AT also, but I want to see AT get a bit better on the passing game.) Over at FSU, it was understandable for him to score all the time, but now, Thornton should pass the ball it a bit. I agree too that Thornton hasn’t reached his full potential. With that said, let Thornton play!

Mike Smith on Eric Gordon: "The Clippers may have found their go to scorer."
On a second note, I want Novak back!

by JackduhSun on Jul 17, 2009 4:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Consistent only in terms of being ready to play

by Jax on Jul 17, 2009 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions

Earth to Al

This is always a fun debate…I really think one of the big problems with Al is that he thinks he’s better than he is. Definitely liked to hear reports about his work ethic last year, but then you have to wonder if he’s working on the right things. For one, I heard he pretty much ate McDonalds every meal last year. By the end of the year, he was quoted that he was done with fast food. Hopefully he follows through on that one.

Bottom line is that he had a tough time shooting the ball last year, and instead of improving on it during practice, he just shot more in games. His outside shot hit somewhere in the low 30%‘s last year, 25% from deep, which is pretty horrendous. The fact that he tends to force shots is not only a bad % play, but it can kill momentum. Add on top of it that he’s a below average defender, and the result is that he helped the Clippers lose a lot of games last year.

With the type of scorers he has around him, he should really model himself after what Ariza was able to do the last year or so, but I highly doubt that much of Ariza’s game interests him. He wants to be the guy, or at least one of the top guys. With us already having two much better players than him (Gordon & Thornton), this could really be a problem for us. Hopefully he can work on being more of a team player…i.e. defense, rebounding, passing, etc. but I just don’t see it. Prove me wrong AT and the Clippers might have an awesome year.

by ghost_ride on Jul 17, 2009 12:20 AM PDT reply actions

result is that he helped the Clippers lose a lot of games last year.

I dont blame it all on Al. We should point finger at everybody in this scenario. I don’t even think Al deserves MOST of the game. I think most of it goes to Baron, but I still believe Baron can make a strong push this upcoming season. Oh, I also blame Dunleavy…

Mike Smith on Eric Gordon: "The Clippers may have found their go to scorer."
On a second note, I want Novak back!

by JackduhSun on Jul 17, 2009 4:59 AM PDT up reply actions

Blah

I seriously need to learn how to use the toolbar.. this time instead of bolding everything, I quoted everything…

Mike Smith on Eric Gordon: "The Clippers may have found their go to scorer."
On a second note, I want Novak back!

by JackduhSun on Jul 17, 2009 4:59 AM PDT up reply actions

well unlike all the sports analysts on the major networks, i dont think that he is “too old” to learn or whtaever.

I love how when a guy like andrew bynum has been in the league for 4 years he is “still young” and can improve , even though the guy looks like he has no heart and you cant improve that. and then you have a guy like hasheem thabeet who is 21 , but in 4 years he’ll be 25 and they’ll still be making excuses like (oh he only started playing when he was 16 , and he’s a big man and big men take longer etc).

but a guy like thornton who has been in the league for 2 years, it cant happen ever. i mean steve nash didn’t get good until he was in his late 20s … some people are late bloomers anyway, so whatever.

I think Al showed during the rookie game that in a running offense he is capable at least of passing. maybe blake griffin is the anti mcdonalds and he can get al of that too just like deandre.

by hans007 on Jul 17, 2009 12:59 AM PDT reply actions

Many cases my man.

Jermaine O Neal, David West, Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphey (the last two were inconsistent).

Took a while for them to develope. Al’s showing he can score, whether its effectivly or not. I think Al can becoming pretty good seeing as how it was only his seond year in the NBA.

Mike Smith on Eric Gordon: "The Clippers may have found their go to scorer."
On a second note, I want Novak back!

by JackduhSun on Jul 17, 2009 5:02 AM PDT up reply actions

No thanks

to not scoring effectively. that’s one of the big problems with him, he’ll jack up shots even when he’s not on.

by ghost_ride on Jul 17, 2009 8:35 AM PDT up reply actions

He's got his priorities straight

I remember reading about how he wouldn’t see his girlfriend until they got their first win last year – that’s just awesome! Link

by banandy on Jul 17, 2009 10:39 AM PDT reply actions

Great link!

Didn’t know Al was doing that. Didn’t even know Al was letting his hair grow out. I think DJ did that also?

Mike Smith on Eric Gordon: "The Clippers may have found their go to scorer."
On a second note, I want Novak back!

by JackduhSun on Jul 17, 2009 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Good points

It is very easy to become intrigued and excited with the upcoming talent that’s going to be on the roster, mainly Griffin, EJ, and DJ (haha i also get giddy just typing that). I’m not Al’s biggest fan, but I believe we are forgetting about him to a certain extent. If Lebron does by some divine intervention come here next year, then yes this whole arguement will become obsolete. In the mean time just be happy that we have an above average small forward with only 2 years of experience under his belt.

by clipperpride on Jul 17, 2009 11:40 AM PDT reply actions