Brand is frustrated…and so are we

What do Sixers forward Elton Brand and Sixers’ fans share in common?

Frustration.

As Kate Fagan of the Philadelphia Inquirer points out, Brand is frustrated by his lack of minutes.  Meanwhile we, as fans, are frustrated by his lack of production and his expensive contract.  (That said, most of the frustration over his contract is directed towards general manager Ed Stefanski instead of Brand.)  Together we are frustrated by the team’s 3-4 start (and two-game losing streak).

“Of course there’s a level of frustration creeping in, being 3-4,” Brand said, per Fagan. “We’re close to being 5-2 and it’s all smiles around here, but being 3-4, it’s frustrating, absolutely.”

Brand is averaging 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 27+ minutes per game.  He’s scored in single-digits in four of the Sixers’ seven games and he hasn’t had a double-digit rebound night yet.

In the three October games, Brand averaged 32 minutes per game.  In the four November games, Brand is averaging 24 minutes per game.

At the end of games, you can find Brand doing what I’m doing — watching.  Instead of playing with his back to the basket, he’s playing with his back to the chair.

“I don’t really worry about that . . .” coach Eddie Jordan said (of sitting Brand at the end of games). “There’s a bottom line to this business and if I like the six or seven guys I rotate at the end of games with matchups and the way they’re playing, I’m playing those guys.”

One of the few bright spots this season has been the play and development of Marreese Speights, who’s shooting 63.5 percent from the field and averaging 14.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

The Sixers look to improve to 4-4 against the Nets, who are the only remaining winless team, tonight at 7:30 p.m.

Tags: Ed Stefanski, Eddie Jordan, Elton Brand, Marreese Speights