Joel Embiid, the center for the Philadelphia 76ers, is undergoing emergency surgery. Yankee Scores report

Medical Condition

The 76ers’ captain has been hospitalized for appendicitis prior to their crucial showdown against the Houston Rockets.

Embiid underwent the procedure several hours after being listed on the 76ers’ injury report as questionable before the clash against the Rockets. The Sixers need a victory in this particular fixture to ensure they stay away from the upcoming conference play-in series.

Recovery Date Unknown

There is no immediate information about how long Embiid will need to recuperate until he can once again step onto the court.

The 32-year-old Embiid has averaged 26.9 points and seven rebounds from 38 games played this season as he tries to recapture his MVP form since he sat out all of last year’s campaign after playing only 19 games due to injuries to his left knee.

Injury Woes Continue for 76ers

This latest absence follows numerous other notable absences throughout the year for Philadelphia’s superstars, including Paul George, who came back to the side only two weeks ago after completing a 25-game suspension from the NBA.

Coming into Thursday’s game, the 76ers find themselves trailing the Toronto Raptors for the sixth seed in the East by one game with three fixtures remaining in the NBA regular season.

Next Up

On Friday, the 76ers will travel to take on the Indiana Pacers and on Sunday will have to beat the Bucks, two teams who now desperately need to improve their standing in the upcoming NBA draft lottery.

With their captain almost certainly out of action, Philadelphia’s hopes of avoiding the play-in round seem unlikely at best. For what it is worth, Philadelphia’s first play-in series is likely to be scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday with the other to take place on Friday.