Nocioni starts in place of injured Brand for 76ers

MEMPHIS - Elton Brand is out until after the all-star break because he reinjured his sprained right thumb in the waning moments of the 76ers' loss Sunday at Minnesota. So reserve forward Andres Nocioni has assumed - at least for Tuesday night's game with Memphis - a spot in the starting lineup.

Nocioni, 32, has been little more than a hood ornament this season, having played sporadically, never more than 10 minutes in a game. Last season, Nocioni made 17 starts for the Sixers.

Coach Doug Collins decided to go with the little-used veteran who is in the last year of a $6.5 million contract because he believes that Nocioni will bring energy, if not size, to the starting lineup.

"We'll see if he can give us some good energy and some spacing on the floor," Collins said of the 6-foot-7 Nocioni. "He's worked very hard and he's been a real professional for us. We're obviously going to be giving up some size, because Memphis does a good job on the offensive backboards. But I want to start this game with a lot of energy."

Nocioni said that even though he hasn't played much this season, other players and coaches respect him and know what he brings.

"I'm fine," Nocioni said. "I want to try and bring energy to the game and play hard, because we need to win the game - that's it."

The Sixers hold an option for the 2012-13 season, but nobody believes they will exercise it. Still, Nocioni said he does not look at this as a chance to show other teams that might be interested in signing him next year whether he has anything left in the tank.

"I don't need to show nothing; everybody knows me around the league," he said. "They know what I can do on the court. This is happening right now because of the situation; the team is playing well, the team is playing good. That's how I take it. That's it. I try to play hard and win the game, and that's it. But it's going to be fun to see what I can do right away."

Though Collins acknowledges that he has not had a chance to watch Marreese Speights play, he has been in contact with the former Sixer, who was traded to Memphis last month in a three-way deal for a pair of second-round picks.

"When I see that he's done well, I always shoot him out a text saying, 'I'm proud of you and I'm glad you're doing well,' and he always texts me back saying, 'Thanks, Coach.' I think you know how I feel about him."

Speights, averaging 8.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, is in the last year of his contract. Collins said that Speights has put himself in position to cash in on a new deal.

"It's worked out very well for him, and I'm hoping he's going to be rewarded and get a nice contract and make some good money - that's what this league is all about," Collins said.

Speights, who has been starting at power forward for injured Zack Randolph, said that he's much more comfortable at power forward than he was trying to play center with the 76ers.

"That's my natural position, power forward," he said.