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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – FEBRUARY 11: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against Landry Shamet #44 of the New York Knicks in the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on February 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
A trip to Houston, Texas, took a lot out of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Heading into a must-win game for playoff reasons, the Sixers received the worst news possible: Joel Embiid needed to undergo surgery for appendicitis.
The star center was initially left off the injury report and expected to play. He was ruled out on the afternoon of the matchup, leaving it up to Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and VJ Edgecombe to collectively lead the way.
Unfortunately, the Embiid-less squad couldn’t get the job done.
The Sixers suffered a 113-102 loss to the Rockets. They are now in the midst of a three-game losing streak, dropping to 43-37 on the year.
With the surgery news getting piled on by an uninspiring performance in Houston on Thursday, Sixers fans are struggling to stay confident in their team’s chances of going anywhere this year.
76ers Fans Sound Off On The Loss vs Houston Rockets
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 25: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a foul shot against the Charlotte Hornets at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 25, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Hornets 125-121. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
“Done with the season… Embiid’s done, every player looks checked out, so they’re basically done at this point. Everything just kind of went to s*** after the trade deadline. We’re still going to make the play-in, but our hopes of even making the playoffs are basically over. I don’t want to be a doomer, but that’s just what it seems like,” Anxious_North_819 wrote on Reddit
The post generated a lot of comments from Sixers fans who thought the same way.
“The worst part is we were about to go into the playoffs with everyone healthy for the first time ever. I swear, if you don’t believe in curses, you should now,” RomanDeltaEngin33r said.
“It’s so bad I’m watching the Knicks – Celtics game on Prime instead. I’m done too,” Lazey-Gene-7284 said.
“I hope the fans protest the Harris ownership because this is EXACTLY what they want. Middling team with stars that gets butts in seat but doesn’t actually try to win,” thejunz suggested.
Sixers Fans Are Losing Confidence
“The hope of getting to the second round is gone, but I’m still optimistic for play-in success and watching Maxey and VJ let it all out in the first round,” averagebensimmons added.
“We’ll go in and lose round 1 without Embiid, it is what it is. Lotta young players, Embiid, and PG are finally getting over the injuries that destroyed the 2025 season. Come in healthy next year with a new coach and try for a high seed,” UnamiousM stated.
“Hopefully, we can clean house and get some new voices into the coaching staff and front office. Even with the Embiid freak injury, this team was headed nowhere and could easily lose in the play-in with a zero percent chance of winning in the first round against one of the top teams,” RebuildFletcher commented.
What’s Next For The Sixers?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 22: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during a game against the Houston Rockets at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Tyrese Maxey led the way for the Sixers on Thursday night with 23 (?) points on 9-20 shooting. VJ Edgecombe checked in for 40 minutes to generate 21 points of his own.
Kelly Oubre had a respectable game, going 7-10 from the field and scoring 16 points in 27 minutes. Quentin Grimes was strong off the bench, adding 20 points in 26 minutes, knocking down 7-16 from the field.
Meanwhile, Paul George struggled in his 24 minutes. The veteran star shot 2-8 from the field, scoring seven points. He had four rebounds, one steal, one assist, and turned the ball over four times.
The Sixers will take on the Indiana Pacers on Friday, April 10, to close out a back-to-back.
Justin Grasso Justin Grasso is an NBA reporter, covering trending league news, transactions, injuries, and player developments. He is a credentialed journalist with nearly a decade of insider access. More about Justin Grasso
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