The Sun Goes Down On Elton

Being stuck in Clipper purgatory is painful, but that's got nothin' on a ruptured Achilles' tendon. Elton Brand suffered the devastating injury during his off-season workout at the Sports Club South Bay. Once the league's most underrated star undergoes surgery he'll face several months of recovery and rehab before he can return to the court. Although the injury is officially being classified as an accident the LAPD is seeking Paris, son of Priam, for questioning.

Although no official timetable can be set until after his surgery it appears that Brand could miss the rest of the calendar year. In the meantime the Clippers are going to have to figure out how to win the occasional game without their leading scorer and rebounder. The one tiny bit of good news is that the Clippers recently spent their first round draft pick on a dynamic combo-forward from the ACC named Al Thornton. He should be able to step into the lineup immediately but there's no chance he can come close to Brand's levels of production.

If I were Brand I'd head back to Duke for the surgery. I still remember the incredible recovery he made from a broken foot back in college. That Duke hospital is like Lourdes for the lower extremities.