Elton changed his Brand of basketball to fit Sixers' needs

Brand would trade most of that (not all, of course), for more team success. During the early stages of his career, mostly with the Los Angeles Clippers, Brand was on a team that needed him to score 20 to 25 points a night, grab 10 to 15 rebounds, and block shots. He was needed to do that because mostly he was the only one on those lowly Clippers teams who could do it. For most of Brand's career in LA, the organization was about as successful at drafting (think Chris Wilcox, Melvin Ely, Shaun Livingston and Yaroslav Korolev) and trading as Rick Perry was in his presidential campaign.

His teams have made only two playoff appearances, including last season with the 76ers. He has competed in only 17 postseason games.

"Without a doubt, I'm very happy," Brand said. "It's the happiest I've been at this early stage in any season of my career. Last year, leading the team in points and rebounds and blocks, or whatever, that really doesn't matter to me now. Especially in a condensed season like this, playing fewer minutes and winning all these games, I'm very happy."

Sure, how hard could it be to be happy when you have all that cash in the bank, right? But Brand truly isn't about that. He is still the kid on the playground in many ways, wanting to win every battle on the court - loose balls, rebounds. He is as professional with the media as anyone in the game. He understands life around the game of basketball and probably has even come to understand the game a little more through the years. He is having his most fun this season, even though his numbers (10.3 points, 6.8 rebounds) are beneath what he is accustomed to.

"He is a very proud player," coach Doug Collins said. "We're very sensitive to E.B., because we know how important he is to our team. We're going to need E.B. He knows that. He's just got to keep working.

"The one thing about him now is that he is at the point in his career where statistics are not important. It's about winning games, because when you're winning games, that's when you get the credit. We've got that kind of team. Thank God, we have guys that are all about that. E.B.'s going to be fine. His numbers are down, but if you look around the league, it's the big guys who are starting slow, with all the wear and tear and all the games that they are playing."

As Brand nears age 33, and with a schedule that has games raining down on teams, Collins has been as careful as possible not to wear him down. Still, Brand will not allow himself to take shortcuts.

In Wednesday's loss to the Denver Nuggets, a loose ball in overtime found its way to the floor. Out of nowhere came Brand, hurling his 6-8, 255-pound frame toward the round prize. The next day, after a short practice that included mostly shooting, players were pretty quick to head to their cars for some much-needed time away from the court. About a half-hour later, out came Brand with a member of the organization to get in some short jumpers and a hundred or so foul shots.

He doesn't know how to slow down, nor does he want to. When asked about it, he contorts his face, much like a kid being served spinach. He knows the end of his career is approaching, but has the attitude of "who says I have to embrace it?"

"It's easy," Brand says of accepting his role with this team. "I don't mind shifting. Especially seeing Andre Iguodala play so well and hopefully get an All-Star nod; seeing Jrue Holiday grow, and Lou Williams . . . I know I'll see games where I'll see more shots and maybe get some points for us, add some offensive potency to the game. But we have so many guys that can score. I mean, we have eight or nine guys who can really score. The points don't mean as much to me now as much as they did early in my career. It's all about winning right now.

"You know, we play against guys who are shooting 20 to 25 times a game, and I remember those days. But that is not what this team is built on, and that's not where I am right now in my career or where this team needs me to be. I don't know if I could have had this attitude at the beginning of my career, but then you eventually see what a team player can do. You see what setting a pick or playing defense will do. Then, because of that, you find out how good winning feels, and it feels better than at any time when you were the one shooting 25 shots."

He used to be the superstar a team needed to win, though he never had the luxury of having another stud player or two with him. He is now on a team without a megastar, which many think is the prerequisite to success.

"I look at those Detroit teams that were really good a few years back in the Eastern Conference, and there were no superstars there," Brand said. "We have some really, really, great, top-notch talent here. Jrue Holiday is great, Andre Iguodala. We have guys who can really, really play. So to say you need that one guy, doing the commercials, doing the marketing, being the superstar - that doesn't matter. We just have a heck of a ballclub with some very talented players."

All of whom seem to know their roles. Brand included.

For more Sixers coverage, read the Daily News' Sixers blog, Sixerville, at www.philly.com/Sixerville.

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