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Magic (10-4) @ 76ers (7-7)
When the Philadelphia 76ers signed Elton Brand in the offseason, they figured the two-time All-Star would provide an offensive boost to a team that was among the Eastern Conference's lowest-scoring clubs last season.
It hasn't happened yet.
Coming off three straight poor offensive efforts, the Sixers try to end their scoring woes Wednesday when they host the Orlando Magic, who are looking for their seventh win in eight games.
Philadelphia (7-7) was 23rd in the NBA in points per game last season, averaging 96.6 on its way to a 40-42 finish. Lacking a consistent threat inside, the Sixers signed Brand to a five-year, $82 million deal, expecting the 10-year veteran to produce in the paint even though he played only eight games last season due to injury.
Brand, however, has dropped to 16.6 points per game this season from the 20.5 in his last full season with the Los Angeles Clippers, 2006-07, and his field-goal percentage is down from 53.3 that season to 43.3. Philadelphia remains among the lowest-scoring teams in the East with 95.1 points a contest.
The Sixers have been particularly ineffective offensively in their last three games. They won the first two despite scoring 89 points each time, but shot under 40 percent for the seventh time this season Monday and lost 93-84 in Charlotte.
"We expected to better than that," said Brand, who had a team-high 18 points. "We will be better than that. It's a work in progress.
"I'm not worried about it because everyone on this team plays hard. It's just going to take some time."
Perhaps a bigger concern for the 76ers than Brand has been the scoring decline of Andre Iguodala. The ninth overall pick in the 2004 draft looked to be on the verge of becoming a star last season, leading Philadelphia with 19.9 ppg on 45.6 percent shooting. He's averaging 13.4 points and shooting 39.8 percent in 2008-09.
A key player for the Magic (10-4) also came out of the 2004 draft, and Dwight Howard is doing just fine. The No. 1 overall pick that year, Howard's 139 double-doubles are the most in the league since the start of the 2006-07 season, and he's averaging 20.9 points and an Eastern Conference-best 13.4 rebounds this season.
Howard picked up his 10th double-double of 2008-09 on Monday, scoring 20 of his team-high 24 points in the second half and finishing with 13 rebounds and six blocks in a 108-101 win over Milwaukee.
"I was trying to be more aggressive in the second half," said Howard, who picked up three early fouls in the first half. "The last game when I got into foul trouble, I didn't play as hard as I needed to. I need to stay aggressive and keep attacking, trying to block shots."
Orlando won for the 10th time in 12 games despite the loss of point guard Jameer Nelson to a strained groin in the third quarter. Nelson, who grew up just outside of Philadelphia and played college ball at St. Joseph's, had averaged 21.7 points and 6.7 assists in his past three games. His status for Wednesday is uncertain.
Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu picked up the slack for Nelson, scoring 22 points apiece. Lewis is struggling from the field this season, shooting 40.8 percent, but averaging 20.8 points and 2.8 steals over his last six games.
The Magic, 4-1 on the road this season, have won four of their last five in Philadelphia
When the Philadelphia 76ers signed Elton Brand in the offseason, they figured the two-time All-Star would provide an offensive boost to a team that was among the Eastern Conference's lowest-scoring clubs last season.
It hasn't happened yet.
Coming off three straight poor offensive efforts, the Sixers try to end their scoring woes Wednesday when they host the Orlando Magic, who are looking for their seventh win in eight games.
Philadelphia (7-7) was 23rd in the NBA in points per game last season, averaging 96.6 on its way to a 40-42 finish. Lacking a consistent threat inside, the Sixers signed Brand to a five-year, $82 million deal, expecting the 10-year veteran to produce in the paint even though he played only eight games last season due to injury.
Brand, however, has dropped to 16.6 points per game this season from the 20.5 in his last full season with the Los Angeles Clippers, 2006-07, and his field-goal percentage is down from 53.3 that season to 43.3. Philadelphia remains among the lowest-scoring teams in the East with 95.1 points a contest.
The Sixers have been particularly ineffective offensively in their last three games. They won the first two despite scoring 89 points each time, but shot under 40 percent for the seventh time this season Monday and lost 93-84 in Charlotte.
"We expected to better than that," said Brand, who had a team-high 18 points. "We will be better than that. It's a work in progress.
"I'm not worried about it because everyone on this team plays hard. It's just going to take some time."
Perhaps a bigger concern for the 76ers than Brand has been the scoring decline of Andre Iguodala. The ninth overall pick in the 2004 draft looked to be on the verge of becoming a star last season, leading Philadelphia with 19.9 ppg on 45.6 percent shooting. He's averaging 13.4 points and shooting 39.8 percent in 2008-09.
A key player for the Magic (10-4) also came out of the 2004 draft, and Dwight Howard is doing just fine. The No. 1 overall pick that year, Howard's 139 double-doubles are the most in the league since the start of the 2006-07 season, and he's averaging 20.9 points and an Eastern Conference-best 13.4 rebounds this season.
Howard picked up his 10th double-double of 2008-09 on Monday, scoring 20 of his team-high 24 points in the second half and finishing with 13 rebounds and six blocks in a 108-101 win over Milwaukee.
"I was trying to be more aggressive in the second half," said Howard, who picked up three early fouls in the first half. "The last game when I got into foul trouble, I didn't play as hard as I needed to. I need to stay aggressive and keep attacking, trying to block shots."
Orlando won for the 10th time in 12 games despite the loss of point guard Jameer Nelson to a strained groin in the third quarter. Nelson, who grew up just outside of Philadelphia and played college ball at St. Joseph's, had averaged 21.7 points and 6.7 assists in his past three games. His status for Wednesday is uncertain.
Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu picked up the slack for Nelson, scoring 22 points apiece. Lewis is struggling from the field this season, shooting 40.8 percent, but averaging 20.8 points and 2.8 steals over his last six games.
The Magic, 4-1 on the road this season, have won four of their last five in Philadelphia
