Wizards Won't Reinstate Brown; Thomas Likely to Miss Game 3

The Washington Wizards won't lift Kwame Brown's suspension for the rest of the playoffs, leaving the frontcourt perilously thin following an injury to Etan Thomas.

Coach Eddie Jordan said Wednesday there was no chance for a reinstatement for Brown, who was suspended a week ago for what the team described as "philosophical differences."

"Everything remains the same," Jordan said. "We're moving forward with the people that we have."

Jordan said he doesn't expect Thomas to play in Thursday's Game 3 against the Miami Heat. Thomas left the second quarter of Tuesday night's 108-102 Game 2 loss with an abdominal strain, the same injury that cost him 32 games at the start of the season.

"It's pretty sore. It hurts a lot. It's definitely on the same level" as the earlier injury, Thomas said. "But it's the playoffs."

With Thomas hurt and Brown suspended, the Wizards are left with just two big men -- Brendan Haywood and Michael Ruffin -- to battle Shaquille O'Neal. Whether Brown could help is debatable. He has been an inconsistent player who has been booed regularly at home, and the MCI Center crowd would probably give him a less than warm welcome Thursday. At the very least, he could give his team an extra six fouls to muscle O'Neal around, but Jordan said his team can win with the players it has.

"We play different defenses," Jordan said, "so it's not like we need anything extra outside of what we have to defend Shaq or anything like that."

Brown, the 2001 No. 1 overall draft pick, has clashed with teammates and coaches during four years in Washington, and the final straw came after he missed a game and a practice during the first-round series against the Chicago Bulls. Brown, who had played just four minutes in the previous game, told the team he had a stomach virus. He was suspended following a meeting with Jordan and president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld before the team left for Chicago for Game 5.

Brown doesn't attend Wizards practices, but he has been working out with some of his teammates. Guard Larry Hughes said the players discussed whether Brown should be allowed to return after Thomas was hurt, but Jordan and Grunfeld weren't about to budge.

"That was a decision totally based on what our coaching staff and organization guys thought as far as what's best for the team, what message they would be sending," Hughes said. "They're sticking behind the guys that are here."

Brown isn't expected to return to the Wizards next season. He will become is a restricted free agent this summer.