Sixers injury news: Nick Nurse talks Joel Embiid before Celtics series

CAMDEN, N.J. -- As the Philadelphia 76ers head into Round 1 of the playoffs starting on Sunday against the Boston Celtics, all eyes are on Joel Embiid. The big fella underwent an appendectomy on April 9 with the team in Houston to face the Rockets and has been sidelined ever since.

Obviously, this is a serious procedure that will keep a player out for quite a while. For example, OG Anunoby underwent the procedure on April 11, 2019, as a member of the Toronto Raptors and was not cleared to return until June 2. Granted, Embiid has proved in the past that he can return sooner then some projections, but it doesn't change the fact that Philadelphia is likely not going to have Embiid for quite some time.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Sixers are expected to not have Embiid at least at the start of the series which opens the door for a potential return against the Celtics, but coach Nick Nurse isn't quite there yet.

"I'm preparing for Sunday's game, and I know he's not playing in that one," Nurse said at practice on Friday. "So, that's all. We're just like zeroed in on trying to see can we go in there and get ready to battle and fight and execute as best we can? And then we'll start figuring—anything that changes, you know, the series becomes a series. Anything that changes starts probably right in the middle of that game, and then we take it from there."

The Sixers went 21-23 on the season without Embiid and will need to dig deep to head into Boston and upset the Celtics in Round 1 of the playoffs.