Embiid underwent surgery for appendicitis last week and subsequently missed the final three regular-season games as Philadelphia pursues a spot in the Eastern Conference bracket.
His presence on the bench gave a visible sign of progress for a team hoping to navigate the Play-In without its star center, though no timetable for a return to full play has been established.
Medical projections generally estimate a recovery window of about 2 to 4 weeks, but any return would require a rapid ramp-up to high-level competition ahead of the postseason.
Injury history has long been a factor in Embiid’s durability, with the star center never playing more than 68 games in a season and having appeared in roughly half of his team’s games across his career.
The Sixers remain hopeful but cautious about Embiid’s status as the Play-In and postseason approach, acknowledging that a playoff return is far from guaranteed.
