Sixers Notes: Brand's slow start not worrying Collins

NEW ORLEANS - Although Elton Brand hasn't been lighting it up so far this season, 76ers coach Doug Collins is not too concerned with the numbers that Brand is putting up right now.

"He'll come around. I'm not worried about Elton," Collins said of Brand, averaging 8.3 points and 7.5 rebounds. "With the older guys it takes a little bit longer for their legs to round into shape. So we're hoping to get some of our bigger guys who have some age on them a few miles; hopefully their legs will start bouncing back as we play some more of these games. But I'm not worried about EB."

Collins pointed out that while Brand's numbers are down - last season he averaged team highs in points (15.0), rebounds (8.3), and blocks (1.3) per game - the Sixers won't be forcing the ball into him just to get him going.

"It's going to be the activity that gets him going," Collins said. "We are not a team that just throws the ball out to somebody and says, 'Go.' He'll get there. The main thing is that he's going to start rounding into basketball shape. That's the most important thing right now. And it will happen."

The Sixers have five players on the 2012 NBA all-star ballot: Brand, Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Jrue Holiday, and Spencer Hawes.

Last season, the Sixers dropped nine of their first 10 road games - something not lost on Collins as his team, which had won two of its four road games going into Wednesday night, prepared to play the Hornets.

"We are the only team that hasn't played a home game," Collins said of the Sixers, who host Detroit in their home opener Friday. "So if we can be 3-2 on the road with five out of the way, that would be great."

The good news is that the Sixers play 15 of their next 18 games at home.

Rookie center Nikola Vucevic missed Wednesday's game with a lower-back strain. It is not believed to be serious.

- John N. Mitchell