PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia 76ers oft-injured center Joel Embiid could potentially play in both ends of back-to-back games this season.
Sixers coach Brett Brown also says Jahlil Okafor should be ready for opening night on Oct. 26 in his recovery from surgery on his right knee. Brown says Nerlens Noel may not be ready for the opener as he recovers from a groin injury.
Embiid sat out the past two seasons because a broken right foot and had been on a minutes restriction in the preseason. Brown has increased Embiid's minutes and says he may be ready to handle the grind of back-to-back games. The Sixers' first set of consecutive games is Nov. 1 and 2.
Embiid caused a scare when he landed awkwardly on his right foot in the first half of Saturday's 97-76 loss to the Detroit Pistons, but he played in the second half for the first time in six preseason games and wowed the crowd by faking a spin before a left-handed layup and emphatic first pump for part of his team-high 15 points.
"I like the pressure, I like the responsibility," said Embiid, who was 5-of-8 from the floor with five rebounds and an ugly seven turnovers before a crowd that cheered his every move.
"We all see how good we think he can be," Brown said.
Brown, in his fourth season, said he would take a cautious approach with Embiid's minutes.
"There are some times just with normal aches and the other parts of his body that you pay attention. It's still a 275-pound, 7-foot-2 man going up and down the court," he said. "How about his motor, when he puts his mind to it? How about his lateral quickness, when he puts his mind to it? To get that stuff, just harder, longer, makes you think we have to take this course."
Okafor has been sidelined since he had surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his knee in March. Noel says he was hurt in the first week of training camp and has not played in the preseason.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
