76ers’ Joel Embiid reveals complications after emergency surgery

Joel Embiid underwent appendectomy on the ninth of April, putting his status for the start of the postseason in doubt for the Philadelphia 76ers. Embiid did miss the 76ers’ first four postseason games — their play-in triumph over the Orlando Magic and the first three games of their first-round series against the Boston Celtics — but he returned to action on Sunday night in Game 4, only for Philly to suffer its worst loss of the playoffs yet, 128-96.

The 76ers are now down 3-1 in the series, and they will be headed to TD Garden for Game 5 on Tuesday night in a must-win situation. This is as daunting of a job as it can get. But Embiid is not fazed even though he went through complications during his appendectomy, as he fired a defiant message about wanting to show up for his team with their season hanging in the balance.

“When this first started, I couldn’t walk going into the hospital. Just dealing with so many stuff. I don’t want to get into the details but it’s been tough. But that’s life,” Embiid told reporters following the 76ers’ blowout loss at home in Game 4, via John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “What am I gonna do? Cry about it?”