The Philadelphia 76ers saw the Boston Celtics make franchise history in Sunday’s Game 1 rout at TD Garden as former MVP center Joel Embiid missed the contest while recovering from his recent appendectomy.

Sixers fans still don’t know if or when Embiid will return during the first-round series, but the team provided an update on the Cameroonian big man Monday afternoon.

“Sixers say Joel Embiid has started his strength and conditioning program post-appendectomy,” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Noah Levick posted on Bluesky.

 

Sixers say Joel Embiid has started his strength and conditioning program post-appendectomy.

— Noah Levick (@noahlevick.bsky.social) April 20, 2026 at 1:45 PM

Given their playoff history vs. Boston and how both teams looked on Sunday, an Embiid return might not even save the 76ers’ season at this point.

Game 2 between the Celtics and Sixers is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday in Boston.

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