- Plaschke’s Wednesday column strongly suggested that Mike Dunleavy and Baron Davis are locking horns over the weight of the Clippers’ playbook. Now there’s word that the two held a summit at Playa del Rey yesterday to clear the air:
“Davis had been quoted in Plaschke’s column as saying there was a “disconnect” and that he had never seen so many plays in his “entire career,” having come from the opposite end of the spectrum, at Golden State. (The Warriors are in town to play the Clippers today.) On Friday, Davis said that communication was improving between him and Dunleavy, and the new Clippers point guard volunteered the information that they had a meeting. “It’s hard when you first start off in any situation, and you want to be perfect,” Davis said. “Me kind of being a perfectionist, I want to do everything out there possible to give coach what he wants and what he sees.”
- Baron gives the Contra Costa Times a postmortem on his previous disconnect — the aborted contract extension with Golden State:
“I thought that I was going to be one of those players who got their jersey retired. It grew to be a great relationship and home for me. After we beat Dallas, promises were made and never followed through. Then they wanted to see if I could play a full season, and promises were made and never followed through. It wasn’t the fact that I wanted more money. I opted out of more money to come (to Los Angeles). It was more that I didn’t feel like I was wanted, like my welcome wore out. They had gotten enough. They had gotten what they needed. That’s how I felt, and it kind of forced me to look elsewhere.” - Ramona Shelburne has a nice profile of Al Thornton learning to ball on Georgia Red Clay. The piece includes some testimonial from Alford Thornton, Al’s father.
- Someone the Clippers probably won’t see much today? Marco Belinelli, who has gone from “sensational” to doghouse in 16 months. There seems to be a detectable strain of Youth v. Experience in Oakland, with some fans wanting to see more of Brandan Wright, Anthony Randolph, and Belinelli from a team that’s unlikely to do much in April and May with its vets.
- BrandWatch: More rebounds in Philadelphia…less of everything else.
- Saturday’s pre-game meal…since 1947.
