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lovespree
Posts: 20310
Alba Posts: 0
Joined: 8/1/2001
Member: #53
USA
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Man - this really sucks! I feel so badly for Brand.
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Clippers' Brand ruptures left Achilles tendon during workout
ESPN.com news services
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- In the latest nasty injury blow for the Los Angeles Clippers, cornerstone forward Elton Brand ruptured his left Achilles tendon on Friday during his usual daily workout.
Elton Brand
Forward-Center
Los Angeles Clippers
Profile
2007 Season Stats GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
80 20.5 9.3 2.9 .533 .761
Brand, 28, is expected to undergo surgery next week and joins teammate Shaun Livingston on the list of long-term injury victims for the Clippers.
Achilles tendon injuries typically sideline NBA players for at least a year, which would theoretically threaten Brand's availability for all of the 2007-08 season.
But ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that the Clippers have received a preliminary medical indication that Brand will be sidelined only six months. If so, Brand would be in line for a comeback in February.
"It's unfortunate that this had to happen," Clippers vice president of basketball operations Elgin Baylor said in a statement. "But knowing Elton and how dedicated he is to his profession and how hard he works, I believe he'll be back 100 percent as good as ever."
Brand recently withdrew from Team USA to rehabilitate a knee injury after averaging 20.5 points and 9.3 rebounds last season, in which L.A. finished 40-42 and just missed the playoffs. In his breakout 2005-06 campaign, Brand averaged 24.7 points and 10.0 rebounds and helped lead the Clippers to the second round of the playoffs and a Game 7 loss to Phoenix, their most successful season of a two-decade Los Angeles existence.
The difference between Brand and Livingston, though, is that Livingston's injury is considered career-threatening. Livingston is out indefinitely after dislocating his left kneecap against Charlotte in late February, with an awkward landing causing damage to almost every part of the knee.
NY KNICKS 4 EVER! Will we ever find players like Anthony Mason, Xavier McDaniels, Patrick Ewing again? I hope so.
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8/6/2007 9:58 AM