It didn't seem like much at the time.
During the 76ers' 110-105 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 9, starting power forward Elton Brand was hit hard on the back of his left hand, a blow that resulted in a "very minor fracture," according to a team source.
"Elton got banged...the other night and I think he's going to be OK," said 76ers coach Doug Collins two days after the game. "He went through shoot-around today and seemed to be fine."
While he hasn't missed any action since that game, Brand averaged 13.8 PPG and 6.9 RPG during Philadelphia's next eight contests—a slight decrease from his season marks of 15.2 PPG and 8.7 RPG prior to the injury.
Brand himself will tell you that his hand is bothering him. And in the next breath, he'll completely dismiss the notion that the injury will cause him to miss any time, especially with the playoffs on the horizon.
"It is definitely a problem," Brand said when asked on March 27 about the injury. "It is nothing that will stop me from playing."
That response tells you all you need to know about what Elton Brand brings to this young Philadelphia team. < ...
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Article written by Roy Burton
Philadelphia 76ers: Can Elton Brand Be a Force in NBA Playoffs with Broken Hand?
April 10th, 2011 by Roy Burton Leave a reply »
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