Joel Embiid Has Surgery to Repair Orbital Fracture After Eye Injury

The road to recovery has officially begun for Joel Embiid, as the Philadelphia 76ers star underwent surgery Saturday to repair an orbital fracture of the left eye.

The team announced the procedure and noted there was no timetable for Embiid's return, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the All-Star could return in two weeks, depending on his pain threshold. 

Embiid suffered the injury in a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz in the second quarter of Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks.

The 7'0", 250-pounder has played in a career-high 63 contests this season and is averaging 22.9 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.

Embiid has helped the Sixers end a five-year playoff drought, as the team has already clinched a playoff berth. It sits just a half-game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed at 45-30.

While Philadelphia extended its winning streak to nine games even without Embiid, there's no doubt the team needs its playmaking big man to make postseason noise. Wojnarowski reported there is optimism the 24-year-old center will miss only one playoff game.

Of course, the 2014 draft's No. 3 overall pick always believes in the process:

The timing of Embiid's setback could not have been much worse. It came in Fultz's second game back from a shoulder injury that cost him most of the season. That means the team will enter the playoffs without Embiid, Fultz, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric and Co. having much on-court experience together.

For now, Philadelphia will have to hope the big man can return to the court in two weeks.