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The Philadelphia 76ers lost 113-102 to the Houston Rockets on Thursday after star center Joel Embiid was ruled out on the afternoon of the game to undergo surgery for appendicitis. Embiid had been left off the injury report and was initially expected to play. Without him, Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 23 points on 9-for-20 shooting, VJ Edgecombe had 21 points in 40 minutes, Kelly Oubre scored 16 and Quentin Grimes added 20 off the bench. Paul George struggled in 24 minutes, finishing with seven points on 2-for-8 shooting, four rebounds and four turnovers. The loss left Philadelphia on a three-game skid and with a 43-37 record. The surgery news and the uninspired performance in Houston prompted strong reactions from Sixers fans online, who expressed frustration and concern about the team's postseason prospects. On Reddit, one user wrote, 'Done with the season... Embiid's done, every player looks checked out, so they're basically done at this point.' Other commenters described the team as 'headed nowhere' and called for changes to the coaching staff and front office, while some still held out limited optimism for play-in success and for watching Maxey and Edgecombe 'let it all out' if the team reaches the postseason.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.