Embiid had emergency appendicitis surgery in Houston

Joel Embiid had emergency appendicitis surgery in Houston and is out indefinitely. The former MVP went down right when the 76ers needed him most — heading into the Play-In Tournament without their best player. This franchise cannot stay healthy when it matters.

Philadelphia is in the Play-In picture, meaning they'll need to win just to make the first round. Doing that without Embiid is a brutal ask. The big man has played in just 64 games this season, and now appendicitis of all things takes him off the court at the worst possible time.

The Sixers' front office bet everything on building around Embiid, and every April it feels like the basketball gods conspire against them. Philly fans have seen this movie before — the star goes down, the season unravels, and they're left wondering what could've been. Again.