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Brand, 76ers set to face Davis, Clippers

Nov 21, 2008 - 11:27 AM LA Clippers (2-9) at Philadelphia (5-6) 7:00 p.m. EST

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- When Elton Brand opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers over the summer, it was assumed that he would re-sign. Wrong.

Brand will face his old teammates for the first time when the Philadelphia 76ers meet the Clippers on Friday.

Part of the reason that Brand opted-out of his deal with Los Angeles was to clear salary cap space so that the team could sign his good friend, Baron Davis. After Davis was brought in, however, Brand spurned the Clippers' offer and moved east.

"We had a great relationship the whole time he was here," Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy said. "It's surprising, some things you can't figure out. I don't know why he left. All the e-mails we exchanged were positive. All of a sudden, it just fell off a cliff."

Brand signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the Sixers and is averaging a career-low 15.8 points per game.

Davis is not lighting the world on fire, either, averaging 15.3 points and eight assists while guiding the second-lowest scoring team in the Western Conference to the bottom of the Pacific Division standings.

The Clippers are coming off a rare win, however, having deposited the Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-88, on Wednesday. Chris Kaman scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and Cuttino Mobley added 23 points.

Philadelphia had a three-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with a 102-96 setback at Minnesota. Brand had 19 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort.