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Rookie Thornton leads Clippers over Warriors

Oct 15, 2007 - 3:58 AM By Ryan Leong PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - With the help of a hot-shooting rookie, the Los Angeles Clippers were able to get their first win of the preseason.

Al Thornton came off the bench and scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second quarter as the Clippers coasted to a 99-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.

Thornton scored 14 points during a 24-7 run late in the second quarter that expanded a six-point lead to 58-35 with 1:02 left in the first half. The 14th pick of the 2007 draft, Thornton made his first eight shots and finished the game 11-of-15 from the field.

Golden State, which trailed by as many as 27 points in the third quarter, had cut the deficit to nine point, 85-76, with 6:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Clippers then used a 9-2 run to push the lead back up to 16 with 3:51 to play.

Corey Maggette had 18 points and 14 rebounds and Ruben Patterson contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles.

Al Harrington led the Warriors with 17 points and Baron Davis had 14 points and three steals.

Warriors first-round pick Marco Belinelli did not play until the second half and missed his first four shots - including an airball - before nailing a 3-pointer with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. The 21-year-old Italy native finished with just five points on 2-of-9 shooting.

The Clippers, who are already without All-Star Elton Brand due to a ruptured Achilles Tendon, were also missing Shaun Livingston (dislocated left knee) and Cuttino Mobley (strained left calf).