Brand Is Expected Back

The good news for the Clippers is that Elton Brand is expected back in the lineup Saturday for their next game, against the Seattle SuperSonics.

The bad news for the 6-foot-8 forward is that he has failed again in his quest to play all 82 games of the regular season.

Brand sat out Tuesday night’s 90-73 victory over the Orlando Magic because a hip injury suffered three weeks ago at Charlotte had become aggravated, causing a noticeable limp.

At best, he’ll play in 81 games, his total as a rookie for Chicago in 1999-2000 and with the Clippers last season.

“It’s frustrating,” he said. “It’s 79, 81 ... you know what I mean? It’s like, I just want to get them all in.”

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Backup center Zeljko Rebraca, sidelined since late November after undergoing a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat, is expected to participate in contact drills today and may be back in the lineup in about two weeks.

“Maybe some five on five [today], then all next week and we’ll see,” the 7-footer said. “I think at the most, two weeks.”

Rebraca, 33, had the same procedure performed two years ago while with the Detroit Pistons.

Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy said of his impending return: “Just to have an extra big [man] is important, particularly somebody who’s got a low-post game like he does. You basically give him minutes and you’re going to get good numbers out of him.”

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Cuttino Mobley had one of his better games Tuesday against the Magic, scoring a team-high 18 points and registering two steals while putting in a solid defensive effort.

“It is what it is,” he said of playing at the forward position, in a jumbled lineup without Corey Maggette (foot) and Brand. “It’s just about me going out there and helping as much as possible. You need me to score 20, you need me to score 15, or 30, I’ll try my best to do that.”

He’s thankful the team does not play until Saturday, citing a dislocated finger and other nagging injuries.

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Maggette’s foot remains in a cast, and Dunleavy estimated that the team’s second-leading scorer will be sidelined four to six more weeks.