Brand, 76ers pile on Marbury-less Knicks

PHILADELPHIA -- Elton Brand contributed 24 points and 14 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers rolled up a 116-87 victory Friday over the visiting New York Knicks, who put Stephon Marbury on the inactive list before the game.

Earlier in the day Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni had met with Marbury, who did not play Wednesday in the Knicks’ 120-115 season-opening victory over the Miami Heat.

Marbury asked the coach whether he was going to play against the 76ers. When told he would not be getting playing time, Marbury reportedly requested he be put on the inactive list, and D’Antoni and the guard agreed to take that action for Friday’s game. Marbury, a former All-Star, is reportedly scheduled to earn $21.9 million this season.

“This is the direction we’re going, and there will be some nights like this,” D’Antoni said of Marbury after the loss. “If I was playing everything for tonight, you’d do things differently. But we’re trying to build a base for going forward.”

Against the Knicks, point guard Andre Miller had 20 points and eight assists for Philadelphia (1-1), which shot 59.1% (52 for 88) from the field and led all the way.

“That game was won based on our defense,” 76ers Coach Maurice Cheeks said. “We set the tone early on defense and scored off their misses.”