The Charlotte Hornets are all but locked into the Play-In Tournament unless several teams ahead of them suddenly fall apart. But the landscape shifted dramatically with the news that Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will undergo surgery.
Philadelphia currently holds the 8‑seed, and now they’ll enter the postseason without their franchise cornerstone. Embiid’s injury luck has been brutal throughout his career, and this setback comes at the worst possible moment for the Sixers.
For Charlotte, though, this opens a door that previously felt bolted shut. What once looked like a nightmare matchup now becomes far more manageable. Embiid has tormented the Hornets for years, but this time would be different.
Embiid is a nightmare for Charlotte
Few players dominate the Hornets the way Embiid does. Over his last 10 games against Charlotte, he’s averaged 34.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.5 blocks—and he’s lost only once. In fact, Embiid is an astonishing 21-1 in his career against the Hornets.
Embiid can be an eye sore for Hornets fans to watch, but his foul‑drawing ability changes the game. Embiid routinely earns around 10 free throw attempts per matchup, and there simply aren’t many bigs who can guard him without sending him to the line. Moussa Diabate has been a force to be reckoned with, but even he has trouble stopping Embiid. Those efficient points pile up quickly.
That’s especially problematic for Charlotte, who lead the NBA in limiting opponent free‑throw attempts (20.5 per game). Embiid’s presence alone disrupts one of the Hornets’ greatest strengths. With him sidelined for at least the next few weeks, the Sixers lose their most reliable advantage.
A real opening for the Hornets
Charlotte sits at the 9‑seed, with Philadelphia just ahead at 8. After the Sixers’ recent loss to Houston, the two teams share the same record, though Philly still owns the two‑way tiebreaker.
Without Embiid, the Sixers are vulnerable. A late‑season collapse isn’t out of the question. This could present an advantageous matchup if they meet in the postseason, or help the Hornets out in the standings. With Cade Cunningham returning to the starting lineup for the Detroit Pistons, the matchup with Detroit may not be as ideal as once thought.
Meanwhile, the Hornets close their schedule with the Pistons and Knicks. If they want any shot at climbing into a more favorable Play‑In position, they must take care of business and win both games.