Embiid had appendicitis surgery

Joel Embiid underwent an appendectomy in Houston on Thursday after the Philadelphia 76ers said he was diagnosed with appendicitis and is out indefinitely. (nba.com) The 76ers announced the diagnosis on April 9, hours before a road game against the Houston Rockets, and Embiid missed Philadelphia’s 113-102 loss that night. ESPN reported the surgery happened the same day in Houston. (abcnews.com) (espn.com) On April 10, the team said Embiid had been discharged from the hospital and was returning to Philadelphia, but it did not set a timetable for his return. NBA.com and ESPN both described his status as indefinite. (espn.com) (nba.com) Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, a small pouch attached to the large intestine, and treatment often involves surgery to remove it before it ruptures. Recovery can vary, which is why teams usually avoid firm return dates immediately after an appendectomy. (mayoclinic.org) (clevelandclinic.org) The timing hit Philadelphia at the end of the regular season, with the National Basketball Association play-in tournament scheduled for April 14 through April 17 and the playoffs set to begin April 18. The league’s playoff calendar turned Embiid’s recovery into an immediate postseason question. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Embiid, 32, had played 38 games this season and was averaging 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists, according to NBA.com. His absence removed Philadelphia’s top scorer and former Most Valuable Player from a team still fighting for its place in the East. (nba.com) As of Sunday, April 12, Philadelphia was still in the Eastern Conference play-in mix on the final day of the regular season, according to the league’s playoff update page. The 76ers entered the weekend with seeding still unsettled around the bottom half of the conference. (nba.com) There is at least one recent National Basketball Association example of a player missing significant playoff time after an appendectomy. Yahoo Sports noted that O.G. Anunoby had an emergency appendectomy in April 2019 and did not return until the Finals during Toronto’s title run. (sports.yahoo.com) For now, the 76ers have offered only two firm updates: Embiid had surgery on April 9, and he left the hospital on April 10. The rest of Philadelphia’s postseason picture now depends on how quickly he recovers. (espn.com) (abcnews.com)