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Brand plays big vs. Suns
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He doesn’t fumble away sure layup attempts. And he can shoot from the perimeter, from mid-range and everywhere else on the floor.
Suns fans, meet Elton Brand, a guy who is a bit of an upgrade from some of the big men they saw Phoenix play in Round 1.
Brand terrorized the Suns in the opener of Round 2, scoring 40 points in 42 minutes.
“I thought he was going to get them to change the MVP at halftime,” said Suns guard Steve Nash.
It’s the minutes Brand didn’t play that were the head-scratcher.
Brand came out for a rest midway through the final quarter and the Clippers trying furiously to hang in the game (the Suns led 103-101).
Nearly two minutes later, with Brand still seated, the Suns led 112-103. Brand might as well have rested until Game 2 on Wednesday; the Clippers never really mounted a challenge again as the Suns cruised to their 130-123 win. Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy thought his team was playing well enough that he wondered, “Can I give him a minute (of rest)? I guess the answer is no.
“They did a great job of taking advantage.”
“I wish he’d stayed out longer,” said Suns coach Mike D’Antoni, who — though ecstatic with the Suns’ win — seemed mesmerized by Brand’s 18-for-22 shooting.
“When he does that, we don’t have an answer,” D’Antoni said. “When he touched the ball, he made it. I wouldn’t get on our guys too much. He did a terrific job.”
Brand, who rocks the boat about as often as the Suns pass up an open 3-pointer, said, “I never question Coach’s substitutions,” Brand said. “I usually come out a little earlier than that. I guess he was trying to see how long I could go.
“It’s either or. I could get a rest, or keep fighting. I didn’t mind getting a rest.”
Brand lamented that, “Personally I had a great game, but we didn’t close it out.”
In the future, “We have to control the tempo better. You can’t have a lull or any mistakes.
“You miss a quick shot, they come down and hit a 3. “They’re too good, especially in the open court.
“We need to limit our quick shots. That’s their game plan. It can’t be fool’s gold. We can’t do that.”
Unless the Clippers have the advantage on the fast break, Brand suggested, “Let’s go low post or get it to the shooters.”
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