Joel Embiid improving, but Brett Brown can’t say when he’ll be back

HOUSTON — Brett Brown was unable Friday to disclose a return date for Joel Embiid. The 76ers coach, however, did give some encouraging news about the two-time All-Star center, who missed his eighth consecutive game Friday night because of tendinitis in his left knee.

“His knee is getting stronger,” Brown said earlier on Friday before the Sixers played the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.

“His spirits are great. He sees how much he has missed. What that means in relation to his return, I don’t know. What I can say is he’s right on track in relation to getting stronger and having the knee feel better.”

But after Friday’s 107-91 loss, Brown said he looked forward to going home and welcoming Embiid back into the mix and playing with his teammates. The coach said that he hopes that happens soon and mentioned Sunday’s key contest against the Indiana Pacers at the Wells Fargo Center.

So the coach was asked if Embiid could play on Sunday.

“I don’t know.” he said. “I just know that it can’t come soon enough. But I truly don’t know for sure. I hope so, but I can’t say for sure.”

Embiid, who is not on the road trip, is doing light contact work and strength and conditioning work as part of his rehabilitation. The team plans to increase the workload by having Embiid participate in three-on-three and four-on-four drills.

He had been dealing with knee soreness at different stages of the season. Embiid sat out the Sixers’ loss to the Trail Blazers in Portland on Dec. 30 because of the soreness.

This time, he was scheduled to be out at least a week. Brown said on Feb. 27 that he expected Embiid to return against the Golden Warriors on March 2. But the following day the coach said “we’re still learning more” when asked about the reexamination of the knee. Yet, Embiid is still sidelined.

Embiid has said he could play, if necessary.

“It’s all about long-term preservation, making sure I’m ready,” he said of his time on the bench. “Not just for the playoffs, also for the next 15 years. ... We felt like it was better to preserve it, but it’s getting better."