April 26, 2026
Joel Embiid (post appendectomy surgery recovery) has been upgraded to available for Sixers-Celtics Game 4. Just 17 days removed from surgery, he will start at center as the Sixers look to even up their first-round series against Boston.
Embiid, who underwent an emergency appendectomy on April 9, has made significant progress over the last week. On Monday, the Sixers said the former NBA MVP had started a strength and conditioning program, indicating he had completed his recovery phase. Just days later, the team provided an update that Embiid had been a partial participant in a practice amid a return to on-court work.
For the second game in a row, Embiid was listed as doubtful heading into Game 4. But 90 minutes before tip-off, he was upgraded to questionable. An hour later came the official determination that the former NBA MVP was in, after a warm-up routine which included some laboring.
