Brand Becoming a Popular Player

The swarm of media around Elton Brand’s locker before the game was predictable. After all Brand grew up in (almost) nearby Peekskill, N.Y.

But media awareness about Brand is growing in every NBA city these days, in part because of the great season he’s having but also because there is a not-so-subtle push to make him an All-Star.

Brand, in his seventh season, is trying not to let the increased attention affect him. He patiently answers every question posed by each wave of reporters that comes by. He is unfailingly polite, never letting on if the question surprises or offends him.

And he’s careful not to campaign for an All-Star spot that will probably have to come from the coaches. He’s too far down in the fan voting right now to make the starting lineup.

“Some of this [attention] comes with winning,” Brand said. “You have to be careful not to get caught up in it; you don’t want to alienate your teammates, because it’s still about team. But it’s true the individual accolades come with the team’s success. I learned that early.”

He then related a story about his rookie year with Chicago, when he thought he had a chance at the 2000 All-Star team.

“I was averaging 20 [points] and 10 [rebounds], and co-rookie of the year with Steve Francis. But we didn’t win a lot of games with the Bulls. Dale Davis averaged nine and eight. And he got the All-Star nod. But Indiana was in first place.

“It was a team thing. And I understood that.”

*

TONIGHT

at Indiana, 4 PST, Channel 5

Site -- Conseco Fieldhouse.

Radio -- 1150.

Records -- Clippers 15-9, Pacers 14-8.

Record vs. Pacers -- 0-1.

Update -- The Clippers swept the season series from Indiana last year. The Pacers try to return the favor tonight. Ron Artest had 22 points in the first meeting at Staples Center, but the mercurial forward has been removed from Indiana’s active roster since he requested a trade last week -- a request Artest is trying to rescind. Former Laker coach Rudy Tomjanovich, who still scouts and performs player evaluations for the Lakers, was at the Clipper game Tuesday night.