Joel Embiid had surgery

Joel Embiid underwent an appendectomy in Houston on Thursday after the Philadelphia 76ers said he was diagnosed with appendicitis. (nba.com) The 76ers said Friday that Embiid had been released from the hospital and returned to Philadelphia, but no timeline had been set for his return to basketball activities. (nba.com) Coach Nick Nurse said Embiid felt fine at practice on Wednesday, then contacted the team around 3 or 3:30 a.m. Thursday because he was not feeling well. Nurse said doctors in Houston did a scan and decided surgery was needed there. (nba.com) The timing hits Philadelphia at the end of the regular season. The Sixers were 43-36 and seventh in the Eastern Conference standings on Saturday, tied in losses with eighth-place Orlando and one game behind sixth-place Toronto. (nba.com) That leaves Embiid’s availability for the play-in tournament or a first-round series uncertain. NBA.com reported that no recovery timetable had been established after the operation. (nba.com) Embiid, 32, had already been limited to 38 games this season, with NBA.com reporting that he sat out mostly to manage knee injuries. He was averaging 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists. (nba.com) His last game before the surgery came Monday, when he scored 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 115-102 loss at San Antonio. He had not played both ends of a back-to-back all season, according to NBA.com. (nba.com) Nurse called the loss of Embiid “a tough blow” and said Philadelphia would turn to Adem Bona and Andre Drummond at center while adjusting on the fly. For now, the Sixers are waiting on the same thing as everyone else: when Embiid can get back on the floor. (nba.com)