Brand re-injured his thumb while blocking Nikola Pekovic on Sunday in the Sixers' game against the Timberwolves. Brand originally injured the thumb on Feb. 3 when Philadelphia was playing the Miami Heat. Brand missed the next two games after that contest.
The thumb is in a hard splint. Brand will also be out of the lineup tomorrow night when the team plays Houston, their final game before the All-Star break. The hope is resting the thumb through All-Star will allow the injury to heal.
The Sixers will start Andres Nocioni tonight in place of Brand. It will be the first start of the season for Nocioni who has only appeared in eight games this season for the Sixers.
