Philadelphia 76ers rookie Matisse Thybulle returned to the lineup on Thursday night against the Boston Celtics after missing the past seven games due to a right knee sprain.
The first-round pick initially suffered the injury on Dec. 21 against the Washington Wizards. The organization originally announced that Thybulle would be re-evaluated in 2-4 weeks as Sunday marked two weeks since that update.
Thybulle went scoreless in 19 minutes off of the bench while he also added five rebounds, including a crucial offensive rebound late in the game to help seal the 109-98 victory. While Thybulle failed to record a point, the rookie still added strong defense and energy.
The Sixers received some bad news prior to the game when it was reported that center Joel Embiid will need surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand. With Embiid out, the 76ers’ defense will take a hit but Thybulle has proven to be a strong perimeter defender and can help fill some of the void left by Embiid.
Next up for the 76ers: A Sunday road matchup against the Mavericks.
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