Joel Embiid will undergo surgery Thursday afternoon for appendicitis in Texas, the Philadelphia 76ers said.<\/p>\n
Embiid was previously ruled out for Thursday night’s game against the Houston Rockets because of an illness.<\/p>\n
A couple of hours later, the team announced Embiid was diagnosed with appendicitis and required surgery.<\/p>\n
The Sixers will provide further updates on Embiid’s status when available, the team said.<\/p>\n
Appendicitis happens when the appendix gets “clogged, infected and inflamed,” according to the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>. Surgery to remove the appendix is the standard treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Embiid has played in 38 games this season, averaging 26.9 points and 3.9 assists.<\/p>\n Embiid’s appendicitis diagnosis comes as the Sixers make a playoff push with three games left in the regular season.<\/p>\n The Sixers are currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, which would put them in the NBA play-in tournament.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Sixers are one game back of the No. 6 seed Toronto Raptors, who play the Miami Heat Thursday night. Philadelphia is also a half-game back of the No. 7 seed Orlando Magic.\u00a0<\/p>\n If the Sixers are able to win out, they could earn the No. 6 seed and make the playoffs, but they would need help from teams playing the Raptors and Magic along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n Without Embiid, the Sixers are likely looking at a spot in the play-in tournament. Depending on where they finish, that could mean potentially playing two play-in games to make the playoffs.\u00a0<\/p>\n The appendicitis diagnosis is also the latest medical hurdle Embiid will need to overcome in his career. Over the years, he’s dealt with\u00a0meniscus injuries<\/a>, multiple orbital bone<\/a> fractures, Bell’s palsy<\/a> and much more<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n