Clippers' Brand ruptures left Achilles tendon during workout

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- In the latest nasty injury blow for the Los Angeles Clippers, cornerstone forward Elton Brand ruptured his left Achilles tendon on Friday during his usual daily workout.

Brand, 28, is expected to undergo surgery next week and joins teammate Shaun Livingston on the list of long-term injury victims for the Clippers.

Achilles tendon injuries typically sideline NBA players for at least a year, which would theoretically threaten Brand's availability for all of the 2007-08 season.

But ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that the Clippers have received a preliminary medical indication that Brand will be sidelined only six months. If so, Brand would be in line for a comeback in February.

"It's unfortunate that this had to happen," Clippers vice president of basketball operations Elgin Baylor said in a statement. "But knowing Elton and how dedicated he is to his profession and how hard he works, I believe he'll be back 100 percent as good as ever."

Brand recently withdrew from Team USA to rehabilitate a knee injury after averaging 20.5 points and 9.3 rebounds last season, in which L.A. finished 40-42 and just missed the playoffs. In his breakout 2005-06 campaign, Brand averaged 24.7 points and 10.0 rebounds and helped lead the Clippers to the second round of the playoffs and a Game 7 loss to Phoenix, their most successful season of a two-decade Los Angeles existence.

The difference between Brand and Livingston, though, is that Livingston's injury is considered career-threatening. Livingston is out indefinitely after dislocating his left kneecap against Charlotte in late February, with an awkward landing causing damage to almost every part of the knee.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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