The Philadelphia 76ers are bracing for the possibility of beginning their first-round playoff series against the Charlotte Hornets without Joel Embiid, who is reportedly dealing with appendicitis. Shams Charania of ESPN indicates that while Embiid’s participation hasn’t been officially ruled out, the team is preparing for his absence initially. In the meantime, players like Paul George and Tyrese Maxey will be expected to step up, with the potential for Embiid to rejoin later in the series.