Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid made a surprise return to the team on Wednesday, watching from the bench as the Sixers secured a 109-97 victory over the Orlando Magic in the NBA play-in tournament. Embiid, who underwent an emergency appendectomy on April 9, had not been given a definitive return timeline by the team. His presence in the locker room and on the bench marked his first appearance since the surgery.
The Sixers, now the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, will face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Tyrese Maxey, named an Eastern Conference All-Star starter for the first time, led the team with 31 points, including seven straight in the fourth quarter to seal the win. VJ Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Anne de Paula, Embiid’s wife, briefly returned to her native Brazil after his surgery but has since resumed her usual routine. In an Instagram post, she shared photos of herself on the beach, writing that she had been welcomed back by 'friendly whales.' The couple, who married in 2023, has a son, Arthur Elijah, born in 2020.
In a separate incident during the play-in game, a courtside fan was struck in the head by an errant pass from Paolo Banchero. The woman, who was on her phone at the time, was checked by Maxey and remained at the game. The Sixers' victory was met with chants of 'We want Boston!' from fans, though the team has lost their last six playoff series against the Celtics.