Los Angeles Clippers
On June 28, 2007, Thornton was taken 14th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Thornton also has the same agent as Yao Ming. On July 9, Thornton played his first summer league game for the Clippers, scoring 24 points and registering 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks in a 108–102 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
In just his third preseason game as a rookie, Thornton led the Clippers to a win over the Golden State Warriors with 24 points on 11–15 shooting, including a perfect 2–2 from behind the 3-point arc while also connecting on all 8 of his first attempts from the floor.
With Ruben Patterson in the starting lineup at the start of the season, Thornton would not get the playing time he had received during preseason. Patterson was waived on December 13, 2007 in order to give the rookie more playing time. With a slew of injuries to the Clippers' big men, including Paul Davis with a torn ACL, Tim Thomas with recurring back and ankle injuries, and Elton Brand sidelined with a ruptured achilles tendon, Thornton took advantage of his minutes playing power forward and small forward when teammate Corey Maggette was on the bench.
After the new year, Thornton is averaging 15.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, and 1.6 apg; he is doubling his scoring and quadrupling his assists from November and December when he averaged 7.15 ppg, 3.2 rpg, and 0.4 apg. Thornton's playing time has increased to 31.7 mins for the month of February, and with the month almost up, he is averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assist, and .8 steals a game.
On January 30, 2008, Thornton scored a then season-high 33 points against the Atlanta Hawks, including a significant block in the final seconds in a 95–88 Clipper win. Thornton also recorded his first double-double on February 9, in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, in which he had 18 points and 10 rebounds.
On March 29, 2008, Thornton equaled a rookie franchise record (and Clippers season-high) 39 points on 13 of 23 field goal shooting, 3 of 6 from behind the arch, and 10 of 12 from the line in a 110–97 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Thornton scored 20 of his 39 in the fourth quarter to seal the win and snap the Clippers' 10-game losing streak.
On May 13, 2008, Al Thornton was named to the 2008 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
On October 31, 2008, Thornton had a double-double with 30 points and 11 rebounds, a season high.
Read more about this topic: Al Thornton, NBA Career
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