Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been discharged from a Houston hospital and is en route back to Philadelphia following emergency appendicitis surgery. The team announced on Friday that there is currently no definitive timeline for the reigning MVP's return to the court. Embiid underwent the surgical procedure on Thursday after being diagnosed with appendicitis, and his recovery will be closely managed by both the team's physicians and his surgeon.

The news of Embiid's absence comes at a critical juncture for the 76ers, who are battling for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. Without their star center, Philadelphia suffered a 113-102 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday. With only two regular-season games remaining – an away game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday and a home game versus the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday – the 76ers currently sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The team's playoff fate remains uncertain, with potential outcomes ranging from securing the No. 6 seed and avoiding the play-in tournament, to falling as low as the No. 10 seed, which would necessitate participation in the play-in. The play-in tournament is scheduled to commence on Tuesday.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse addressed the situation on Thursday, stating that Embiid had felt well during practice on Wednesday before his condition deteriorated overnight. "It is a tough blow," Nurse commented, emphasizing the team's primary concern. "I think that the biggest thing right now is that Joel comes out of the surgery as best as possible and all that goes well. That's where most of my thoughts are right now." The 32-year-old Embiid has been a dominant force for the 76ers this season, averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds across 38 games. ESPN's Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.