His comeback — if only for eight games — from a torn Achilles' was remarkable. Philadelphia's concern is whether playing 35-plus minutes per game over the course of the entire season will diminish his explosiveness. Also, what might be the long-term effects of the surgery on his other leg as well as on his gait?

The odds of Brand's regaining his vertical and lateral quickness are 1:1.

Greg Oden, C, Portland Trail Blazers (knee)

Here's the microfracture scorecard. The winners are Matt Harpring, Zach Randolph, John Stockton and Amare Stoudemire. The losers are Terrell Brandon, Penny Hardaway, Allan Houston, Kerry Kittles, Kenyon Martin, Jamal Mashburn, Chris Webber and Alvin Williams. (Jason Kidd recovered but lost a crucial half-step.)

Given that Oden spent too much time in the weight room, that there are several holes in his game and that there's enormous pressure on the Blazers to accelerate his development, the odds on him becoming a major force in the middle during the upcoming season are only 1:3.

Monta Ellis, PG, Golden State Warriors (ankle)

Because of the mysterious nature and circumstances of his injury (the rumor is that he was in a motorcycle mishap), all bets on his future are off.