Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid had an emergency appendectomy in Houston after being diagnosed with appendicitis, making his return for the play-in tournament and first round of the playoffs highly unlikely.
Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid underwent an emergency appendectomy in Houston on Thursday after being diagnosed with appendicitis overnight. Coach Nick Nurse confirmed the surgery, calling it a 'tough blow' for the team, and indicated that Embiid's return for the play-in tournament or the first round of the playoffs is improbable. The 76ers, currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, will need to rely on Adem Bona and Andre Drummond in Embiid's absence. Embiid has already been limited to 38 games this season due to knee injuries, averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds. He had also recently expressed frustration over not being allowed to play in a previous game. Coach Nurse is focused on keeping the team upbeat and professional as they head into the postseason without their MVP.
