Injured Brand and Livingston still hope to return this season

They are still recovering and still hoping.

Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston each recently said they still plan to return to the Clippers this season from serious injuries even though the team is running short on games and heavy on losses.

Brand, healing from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon, has started light contact drills and bumping bodies in the post. He began traveling with the team and is targeting to resume full practices within a couple of weeks.

“It’s up to the training staff, but I think that’s what we are looking at,” said Brand, who did the drills against forward Nick Fazekas, recently signed to a 10-day contract.

“It’s not too sore. I’m starting to get balance and be able to do things you actually need to compete on the court, five on five.”

As Brand recently sprinted from baseline to baseline on the Clippers sideline at their practice site, Coach Mike Dunleavy observed.

“He’s making progress,” Dunleavy said. “It’s not totally fluid, but you can definitely see he’s in the right direction.”

It’s been a little more than a year since Livingston suffered a knee injury that required reconstructive surgery and he is also said to be headed forward.

Livingston is scheduled to visit Alabama orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, who is in San Francisco on business, Thursday for his latest checkup.

He is hoping to hear that his knee is showing continued progress, although it hasn’t been determined when he’ll resume contact.

Livingston is working on defensive slides and rapid jumping and has reported what he labeled as “tender pain” after strenuous workouts.

“I’m definitely optimistic about it,” Livingston said about playing this season. “I’ve got to be that. And we’ll see where it takes me.”

Livingston said he would probably play summer league if he is not cleared in time to play this season.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll probably go through summer league and everything for the organization to get a feel on where my legs are, especially if I don’t get back this season, but we’ll see,” Livingston said. “Maybe not.”

Said Dunleavy of Livingston’s progress: “From a skill standpoint of what you see he can do, you can’t see anything he can’t do. But the issue is building strength up to a level. Now he’s doing the more lateral stuff and the next thing you’ve got to get into is the bumping stuff and that’s going to be the key.”

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Guard Cuttino Mobley went to a hospital before the Clippers’ loss to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday because of food poisoning and said he felt the ill effects during the game.

Mobley finished with six points and is averaging that number his last three games after scoring in double figures in his previous 15 games.

TONIGHT

vs. Philadelphia, 7:30, FSN Prime

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Clippers 19-38, 76ers 27-33.

Record vs. 76ers -- 0-1.

Update -- The 76ers are coming off a 119-114 win over the Suns in Phoenix on Saturday. In the Eastern Conference, they are battling for a playoff spot. If they were in the Western Conference, they would be planning for the lottery.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com