Dunleavy, Brand on better terms

SACRAMENTO —  It is (mostly) all about friendship and good will this time of the year.

Which brings us to the great thaw, the lifting of the freeze between Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy and the now injured Elton Brand of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Clippers play the 76ers tonight at Staples Center.

The once-close duo had a falling out in the summer when Brand opted out of his contract, leaving the Clippers and Dunleavy in the cold. Months of mysterious silence followed and you just had visions of Dunleavy sadly staring at that final text message from Brand in July.

Communication resumed when the Clippers were in Philadelphia on Nov. 21. They shared a warm moment, and Brand later had another memorable moment of his own, making the game-winning shot against the Clippers.

Dunleavy said at Clippers’ practice Monday that he and Brand exchanged Christmas e-mails.

“He said he’s coming back for [tonight’s] game,” Dunleavy said, smiling.

Brand, who is out because of a dislocated shoulder, confirmed the e-mail exchange, and the joke, in the Philadelphia Daily News.

He was asked if he had any second thoughts about coming to the 76ers.

The power forward has struggled in an injury-riddled season, averaging 15.9 points and 9.8 rebounds in 23 games.

“No second thoughts, no regrets,” Brand told the Daily News.

“I’m in it for the long haul.”

Had he been able to play, Brand said he would have been ready for the crowd booing him every time he touched the ball and thought that might have happened.

Dunleavy was asked how the crowd would have treated Brand.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s one of those things where it depends on the perception. He [Brand] had a lot of great times here, obviously.”

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Clippers tonight

VS. PHILADELPHIA

Time: 6:30.

On the air: TV: FSN Prime, Radio: 710.

Where: Staples Center.

Records: Clippers 8-22, 76ers 12-18.

Records vs. 76ers: 0-1.

Update: It would have been one of the more widely anticipated Clippers games of the season. But the intriguing potential story line vanished when former Clipper Elton Brand suffered a dislocated shoulder two weeks ago. Brand made the winning shot for the 76ers in the first meeting between the teams, on Nov. 21, at Philadelphia. Since then, the 76ers have had a coaching change: Maurice Cheeks was replaced by Tony DiLeo. Philadelphia is 3-4 since making the switch and has lost its last four games.

-- Lisa Dillman