BRAND NEW WORLD CLIPPERS' STAR TAKES HIS GAME, TEAM TO NEXT LEVEL.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE Staff Writer

Elton Brand was angry, confused and frustrated.

And he wanted answers.

Brand had just finished watching the San Antonio Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons to win the 2004-05 NBA title, the sixth time in Brand's six-year career that he was a spectator of the NBA playoffs rather than a participant.

Not exactly what Brand envisioned when he was drafted first overall in 1999. A winner in high school and a winner at Duke, it stood to reason Brand would be a winner in the pros.

But six years of hard labor with the post-Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls and the hapless Clippers had shown Brand just how presumptuous he was coming out of college. Now at his wits' end and desperate for the push that would propel him beyond the regular season, Brand sought out Clippers' coach Mike Dunleavy.

Brand then proceeded to throw himself at the coach's mercy.

" `Tell me what I have to do and I'll do it,' " is what Dunleavy recalls the 6-foot-8 power forward saying. "We talked about the need to get in better shape."

"Elton's always been the type of player that continues to add new things to his game," Dunleavy added. "When I got here three years ago, we talked about extending his game more outside, and that's what he did. The next year it was improving his defense and his pick-and-roll game. Each year, it was like adding a new layer."

Last offseason, the challenge was to get in better shape. The goal was twofold: To better equip Brand to handle the rigors of an NBA season, and to improve his stamina and on-court speed.

"In a lot of ways, it was the final piece to the puzzle," Dunleavy said.

It was the perfect summer for Brand to embrace Dunleavy's plan.

Brand's three previous offseasons were limited by knee injuries or Team USA commitments. Last summer he was healthy and had all the time he needed.

"That made a huge difference," Brand said.

He attacked the weight room each day with the intensity of a bodybuilder, than supplemented the lifting with cardio workouts on elliptical machines and with sprint work. His afternoons were spent playing pickup basketball games, followed by shooting drills. A typical work day lasted more than eight hours.

The result was a new man. Brand showed up to Clippers' training camp more than 20 pounds lighter than the year before and, as his teammates soon found out, his mid-range game was better than ever.

"You could tell right off the bat how much more stamina he had and how much quicker he was," Clippers center Chris Kaman said. "He was moving around really, really well. The work he put into this season was obvious. As a teammate, you can't help but notice that and respect it."

The result has been a nearly injury-free season and MVP-like numbers: 24 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Most importantly, Brand has helped guide the Clippers to their first postseason appearance in eight years. Along with newcomers Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley and improved young players Kaman and Corey Maggette, Brand and the Clippers won an L.A. Clipper-record 47 games during the regular season.

They open the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Saturday against Denver at Staples Center.

"If I told you it wasn't a big deal I'd be lying," said Brand, who three seasons ago signed the richest contract in franchise history - $82million over six years. "I've waited a long, long time for this."

A white T-shirt was draped over a chair in front of Brand's locker the other day. The front of it read "Los Angeles Clippers 2005-2006 NBA Playoffs."

If Brand needed any more evidence that he had finally arrived on the NBA's biggest stage, the shirt was it.

"It definitely means a lot," Brand said. "Especially given the circumstances of my career. It's a special time."

It's not quite a career-fulfilling achievement - Brand has plenty more goals aside from just reaching the playoffs - but it certainly is a step in the right direction.

"Good for him, because he deserves it," Clippers guard Cuttino Mobley said. "This is a guy who's paid his dues in this league. The players in the NBA know what he's all about, but what's so gratifying is that us making the playoffs gives him a chance to take his game to an even higher level in terms of fans and recognition.

"This is Elton's team, without a doubt."

And now it is in the playoffs.

Finally.

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) The Clippers' Elton Brand, left, and Sam Cassell will be featured in their playoff run.

Rocky Widner/Getty Images

(2 -- color) no caption (Elton Brand)

Box:

(1) CLIPPERS vs. DENVER

(2) NBA PLAYOFFS