Clipper update: Lineup changes

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After a few fairly miserable days, the Clippers decided to take struggling Al Thornton out of the starting lineup, and put Rasual Butler in at small forward.

Thornton was a combined four for 18 in back-to-back losses at Utah on Friday and at home against Dallas on Saturday. He is averaging 8.8 points per game, and has been seriously under-performing

‘You also have to take into consideration the personnel he’s playing against,’ Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said. ‘He’s had four pretty rough customers: [Ron] Artest in the first game, Grant Hill in the second game, [Andrei] Kirilenko the third game, and then [Shawn] Marion in the fourth game.

‘All those guys, other than maybe Grant Hill, are bigger and stronger than he is. I think it’s too early to jump the gun on it.’

Dunleavy was talking before the lineup change was made, and it was suggested that Thornton might be better coming off the bench.

‘It’s possible,’ he said. ‘...We worked with it some in the preseason. We’re trying to find our way there between he and Rasual about who can guard the position against certain sizes.’

-- Lisa Dillman