The Philadelphia 76ers are heading into the NBA Play-In Tournament without Joel Embiid, who recently underwent an emergency appendectomy and is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks.
Because of that recovery timeline, Embiid has already been ruled out for the play-in games. The only way he could return this season is if the Sixers successfully advance into the playoffs, where they could face teams like the Detroit Pistons or Boston Celtics.
Before the injury, Embiid was regaining strong form, scoring 26 or more points in four of his last five games. Now, the pressure shifts to Tyrese Maxey and the rest of the team to keep their season alive long enough for Embiid to potentially return.