<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It might be time for Elton Brand to ease off the accelerator. The All-Star power forward's work ethic is second to none in the league, his teammates and opponents say, but Brand has often appeared out of sync in the Clippers' first four games. Brand has not been as active on offense after his heavy workload last season and in the summer with the U.S. national team, Western Conference scouts following the Clippers said. Moreover, opponents are double-teaming Brand more than they did at the outset of last season. The seven-year veteran's high energy level was evident as he averaged a personal-best 24.7 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots last season, but the scouts have said that Brand hasn't displayed a similar spark this season. Brand has started slowly with an average of 14.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in the first four games. He failed to score in double figures for the second time in the last three games in Monday's 102-89 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center. In Monday's game, Brand missed six of eight shots and had only eight points and four rebounds. Coach Mike Dunleavy says he has noticed. Out of respect for Brand, Dunleavy hasn't insisted that the Clippers' franchise player alter his intense post-practice routine of shooting and weightlifting. Dunleavy, however, recently encouraged Brand to reduce his workload after practice "just until he gets his second wind." The Clippers need Brand for the long haul, Dunleavy said. "I told him that we know he's got great work ethic," Dunleavy said. "Nobody is going to question his toughness or anything about him based on what he's done. "He just needs to understand that the most valuable thing he could do for us is give us himself as close to 100% on the floor at all times. That's the main thing."</div> Source
Yup, actually we've all noticed. Teams have doubled him more, and he's just not been as active as he normally is one the court. He isn't looking for his shot as much as he should, and also part of the reason he isn't getting open as much is that the Clippers are trying to post him down low too much. They need to go back to giving him the ball in the mid-post and letting him face up and shoot the jumper or take his man off the dribble. That allows him to get open more, and eases the double teams. Also he needs to be more involved in the pick and rolls.
