Davis leads Clippers to win

Baron Davis, a self-proclaimed aspiring author, was talking all about the transition game Friday.

And not just the transition game on the court.

He firmly declared the Golden State Warriors part of his life to be over and sealed shut. Davis backed up those words with his actions a couple of hours of later, leading the Clippers to a 118-90 victory against his former team at Oracle Arena.

“I think that chapter is officially closed,” he said. “I’m trying to open up that new chapter and start it here with the Clippers.”

Then again, last season’s disaster with the 19-win Clippers could have prompted a book-burning party.

Davis was joking before the game that he was going to write a children’s book -- on the media.

“I felt last year was one of those years where you get in a transition period,” Davis said. “You kind of miss where you came from and you’re trying to adjust where you’re going to.”

The Clippers (2-4) had not won here since Jan. 23, 2006, dropping seven straight games. They’ve won two straight after losing the first four of this season.

For Davis, Friday’s game was one of his best all-around performances as a Clipper and marked his first win against his old team. .

“I thought he was great all the way around,” Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

“He got into the paint and made plays early in the game for [Marcus] Camby and [Chris] Kaman and our other guys and that set the tone.”

Davis had 25 points on eight-for-13 shooting and added seven assists. He was booed from the moment he touched the ball. “They have short memories,” Warrior Stephen Jackson said of the fans. “The organization was in the trash can before he came here.”

Said Davis: “That was a great win, a great win for us. It was good because it was here, a team that we’ve always struggled with.

“Where we are right now, we needed to come here and win. Our team has a lot of talent and I think it’s just a matter of time before everyone jells.”

Golden State had no answer for slowing down the Clippers’ Eric Gordon, not rookie guard Stephen Curry and not anyone else for that matter. Gordon torched the Warriors with 25 points, making three three-pointers.

Answers were not forthcoming for Kaman, either. Mikki Moore was simply overmatched and so was Anthony Randolph. Kaman was nine for 16 from the field for 22 points and added nine rebounds. Camby added 12 rebounds in a rare laugher for the Clippers.

They led by 12 points at the half and expanded the margin to 30 points after three quarters.

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Thornton’s progress

The Clippers’ Al Thornton is dealing with losing his spot in the starting lineup. Accepting it, but, of course, unhappy about the demotion.

“If you ask me now, the coach is doing what’s best for the team,” he said. “Of course, I want to start. I’d love to start. Like I said, he’s doing what’s best for the team. When I get out there, I just got to try to be effective.”

Thornton smiled, adding: “We’ll see how it plays out.”

He said he has been pressing. That, among other things, has led to Rasual Butler’s supplanting Thornton at small forward in the starting lineup.

Too much thinking?

“I think so. I think it is based off instincts,” Thornton said of his game. “I’ve been second-guessing myself a lot. You can tell a lot by my play. I’ve just got to rely on what got me there.

“It’s up to me to change it. I’ve just got to find a way.”

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Ailing Clippers

The Clippers have not been feeling well, suffering from a variety of symptoms. First it was Steve Novak, who felt the chills and was unwell for a couple of days early in the week.

Thornton missed practice on Thursday but made the trip to Oakland and thought he might have eaten something bad but wasn’t sure. Craig Smith pointed out the culprit in his discomfort: a sandwich. He said he was vomiting before, during and after the Minnesota game.

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lisa.dillman@latimes.com

twitter.com/reallisa

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Clippers tonight

VS. MEMPHIS

When: 7:30.

Where: Staples Center.

On the air: TV: Prime Ticket. Radio: 980.

Records: Clippers 2-4, Grizzlies 1-5.

Record vs. Grizzlies: (2008-09): 1-2.

Update: This marks the return of Zach Randolph, whose time in Los Angeles was short but polarizing. Randolph appeared in 39 games last season with the Clippers, averaging 20.9 points and 9.6 rebounds. He was traded to the Grizzlies last summer for Quentin Richardson, who barely lasted the weekend with the Clippers before they moved him to Minnesota.

-- Lisa Dillman