76ers star Joel Embiid adds appendicitis to bizarre injur...

What’s Happening

Listen up: The 76ers are fighting to avoid the Play-In Tournament, a battle that just got much tougher 76ers star Joel Embiid adds appendicitis to bizarre injury history amid tight playoff race The 76ers are fighting to avoid the Play-In Tournament, a battle that just got much tougher By Jasmyn Wimbish Apr 9, 2026 at 8:35 pm ET • 4 min read Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid had a successful appendectomy surgery on Thursday in Houston, the team just dropped during its game against the Rockets .

The Sixers didn’t give a timeline for Embiid’s return, but dropped “further updates will be provided as appropriate. ” Embiid reported feeling ill to the team on Thursday morning, according to The Athletic , and was subsequently diagnosed with appendicitis. (shocking, we know)

The center played in the Sixers’ loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday and logged 34 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in 39 minutes.

The Details

Embiid played through illness on March 30 against the Miami Heat and was held out of the team’s next game against the Washington Wizards because of the illness. He returned to the lineup on April 3 and then was held out the next night, the second game in a back-to-back.

2026 NBA playoff picture: Projected bracket, standings and who’s clinched so far as OKC earns No. 1 seed Brad Botkin With the loss to the Spurs on Monday, the Sixers fell to 43-36 with three regular-season games remaining.

Why This Matters

Embiid, when on the court, has been stringing together strong performances as of late for a Sixers team that was starting to get everyone healthy at the right time. They’re only 1 ½ games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 5 seed, as well as one game behind the No.

Players and coaches will be watching how this unfolds closely.

Key Takeaways

• 6 seed Toronto Raptors and a half-game back of the Orlando Magic , who occupy the No.
• What does this mean for the Sixers’ playoff hopes?

The Bottom Line

6 seed Toronto Raptors and a half-game back of the Orlando Magic , who occupy the No. What does this mean for the Sixers’ playoff hopes?

Is this a W or an L? You decide.