The news keeps getting worse for the Los Angeles Clippers, who learnt yesterday that leader Elton Brand has a stress fracture just above his left ankle. Brand, the team's leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker, told the team he will attempt to play through the injury.

Brand will play tonight against the Seattle Supersonics at the Staples Center, but it is unknown how effective he'll be.

"It's one of those things," Coach Alvin Gentry said when asked about Brand's injury. "I'm not going to get into whether he'll be ready for this game or that game. It's one of those things where it will depend on how much pain he can tolerate."