Joel Embiid undergoes emergency surgery for appendicitis

The sudden announcement comes after Embiid was listed as out for Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets due to illness.

Thursday’s matchup is especially important for the Sixers as they look to avoid the play-in tournament. As the 8th seed at 43-36, the Sixers have just three games left to work with.

Embiid has appeared in just 38 games this season as he slowly ramped back into action following lingering knee problems from the season prior.

It’s currently unclear when Embiid will be ready to return to action, but recovery time for athletes with this surgery is usually in the range of three to five weeks.

James Parker contributed to this story.