Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid to have surgery after picking up appendicitis

[p]"[b]Further updates will be provided as appropriate[/b]," the Sixers said in a brief statement.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]76ers[/a] went into Thursday's game in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. But at just one game behind the sixth-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Atlanta Hawks[/a] they could still rise in the standings enough to escape the play-in tournament that will see the seventh- through 10th-placed teams battle for the last two playoff spots.[/p][p]After Thursday's game in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Houston[/a] they close out the season with a game against the Pacers in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/indiana-pacers/YPohMUTt/"]Indiana[/a] and a home game against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-bucks/QTBEW6rC/"]Milwaukee Bucks[/a].[/p][embed guid="fec5f25b-7747-40ba-b3c5-8790c9d28b5b" url="https://x.com/sixers/status/2042323720169979978?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]It's not clear if Embiid when Embiid will be able to return to action.[/p][p]The Cameroonian-born center, the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2023, is averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in 38 games this season.[/p][p]The 32-year-old has steadily returned to his top form this season while still missing multiple games to manage long-term injuries as well as new injuries including an oblique strain and a stress reaction in his right shin.[/p]