Just when everyone thought the Philadelphia 76ers were finally heading into the postseason while being relatively healthy, a brand new setback unveiled itself. Joel Embiid has reportedly suffered an appendicitis which would prompt surgery, casting heavy doubts on his availability to start the playoffs with the team not even having secured a spot just yet.
As pointed out by injury analyst Jeff Stotts, athletes often take an estimated period of around 23 days to recuperate from an appendectomy procedure, which would be tantamount to nearly 10 games. Obviously, that will take Embiid out of the commission to end the regular season. He will also surely miss the play-in tournament, which is looking like a shaky platform for this squad at the moment.
Even if the 76ers do manage to get out of the play-in tournament and sneak into the playoffs, they are going to be heavy underdogs against the top seeds in the East, especially with Embiid out. As everyone knows, this team is simply incapable of achieving anything meaningful without the former Most Valuable Player, yet that might be the status quo they should be expecting right now.
The 76ers are doomed in the playoffs with Joel Embiid expected to miss considerable time
After their most recent loss to the Rockets and with only two games left on their regular season schedule, the 76ers have a 43-37 record, which has them in a deadlock with the Hornets for eighth place in the standings out East. That is firmly in the play-in tournament picture, meaning that they will have to go through the eye of the needle just to sneak into the playoffs after a one-year sabbatical, especially with Embiid expected to be out for quite some time.
While there is no definitive timeline yet, the provided precedence does not inspire much confidence in Embiid being available to play when the 76ers need him the most. Assuming Philly makes the playoffs, he is nearly guaranteed to miss the first few games of the first round at the minimum, and that is simply a death sentence against a team like, say, the Pistons (who are still winning a lot without Cade Cunningham) and the Celtics, the top two seeds in the East.
It seems like the basketball gods are truly intent on making life hell for this 76ers squad. Obviously, him missing time is familiar territory for the team, but losing their best player due to an unforeseen cause this time around is going to sting, if not boot them out altogether.