Brand Praised but Isn’t Picked

BOSTON — Nazr Mohammed of the Atlanta Hawks was raving about Elton Brand on Monday night after the Clipper co-captain had put the finishing touches on a 22-point, 12-rebound, six-assist effort against the Hawks.

“He puts his hard hat on,” the Hawk reserve center said of the undersized but rarely outworked power forward. “He comes to play no matter what. Elton is an All-Star, man.”

Not this year -- not according to the Western Conference coaches, who left Brand off the list of seven reserves that was announced Tuesday, choosing instead front-court players from teams with records of .500 or better.

“I don’t think there’s any question that if we were at .500, he would have made the team,” Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “He understands that.”

With averages of 20.1 points and 12 rebounds, Brand was scoring at a higher clip than Andre Kirilenko of the Utah Jazz and Brad Miller of the Sacramento Kings, who were voted onto the West team. He was averaging more rebounds than those two, as well as Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Shaquille O’Neal of the Lakers, who also were voted into the Feb. 15 game at Staples Center.

The Clippers, though, are 21-25.

“The coaches rewarded guys on winning teams,” Brand said. “We’re not far behind, but that’s just how it went down. It’s nothing to be upset about.”

Brand, who made his only All-Star appearance as a late addition two years ago, still is awaiting word on whether he’ll be added to the U.S. Olympic team for this summer’s Athens Games.

*

Corey Maggette is listed as doubtful tonight when the Clippers, winners of consecutive road games for the first time since November, try to make it three in a row on the road for the first time since March 2002.

“I don’t think he’ll be out more than a couple games,” Dunleavy said of Maggette, who left Monday’s game after suffering a sprained right ankle.

*

TONIGHT

at Boston, 4 p.m. PST, Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- FleetCenter.

Radio -- XTRA (690/1150).

Records -- Clippers 21-25, Celtics 22-27.

Record vs. Celtics -- (2002-03) 0-2.

Update -- The Celtics have lost four in a row and eight of 10, but their big gun, Paul Pierce, was voted onto the Eastern Conference All-Star team. The former Inglewood High forward averages 22.9 points and 6.8 rebounds. The Clippers have lost seven in a row and 10 of 11 overall to the Celtics and haven’t won at Boston since April 4, 1997, a string of six consecutive defeats.