Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis and was scheduled for surgery in Houston on Thursday, the team said hours before their NBA game against the Rockets.
"Further updates will be provided as appropriate," the Sixers said in a brief statement.
The 76ers went into Thursday's game in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. But at just one game behind the sixth-placed Atlanta Hawks 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.
After Thursday's game in Houston they close out the season with a game against the Pacers in Indiana and a home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
It's not clear if Embiid when Embiid will be able to return to action.
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.
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.
