76ers' Playoff Hopes Take a Hit as Joel Embiid Faces Surgery for Appendicitis
Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will undergo surgery on Thursday in Houston. The announcement came just before the team’s game against the Houston Rockets. Initially not listed on the injury report, Embiid was declared out due to illness earlier that day. The 76ers have not provided a timeline for Embiid's return, stating that "further updates will be provided as appropriate." According to The Athletic's Tony Jones, Embiid reported feeling unwell on Thursday morning. In his last game against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, Embiid contributed significantly, scoring 34 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and blocking four shots in 39 minutes of play. He had previously played through illness on March 30 against the Miami Heat but missed the subsequent game against the Washington Wizards. He returned to the lineup on April 3, only to sit out the next night due to back-to-back game fatigue. Following the loss to the Spurs, the Sixers fell to 43-36, with only three regular-season games left. As they aim to secure a spot in the playoffs, the team is currently positioned at No. 8 in the Eastern Conference. They trail the Atlanta Hawks by 1.5 games for the No. 5 seed, are one game behind the Toronto Raptors at No. 6, and half a game back of the Orlando Magic for the No. 7 seed. CBS Sports will provide ongoing updates regarding this developing story.
Source: CBS Sports - 2026-04-09