Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker is one of the top scorers in the league. He is a guy who can get it any way possible and he has stepped his game up even more inside the bubble averaging 30.3 points leading the Suns to a 6-0 start in Orlando.
The Philadelphia 76ers will look to put a stop to his scoring rampage, but they will be down one of the game’s elite defenders in Ben Simmons and they will also be without Josh Richardson. The pressure will now be on rookie Matisse Thybulle to step in and try and defend Booker and this comes after having to face Damian Lillard.
These matchups can be the perfect preparation for the playoffs for the rookie and that is how coach Brett Brown sees it. Thybulle will have to go up against guys like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics or possibly Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat. With the Sixers shorthanded, they will turn to him to make an impact on defense.
“It’s fantastic preparation for what’s right around the corner,” said Brown. “With Matisse as you start playing the ‘what if?’ game, if you play Miami, you play Boston, who’s he going to guard? You can come up quickly with people he would be attached to as far as who’s the group of people, say two-three maybe tops that he will be responsible guarding on the Celtics or the Heat or whoever. He never is not in that discussion.”
Thybulle still has a long way to go in terms of his NBA education. He still needs to understand how opposing offensive players work and how he needs to be able to defend those guys. Booker presents the next opportunity for him to learn.
“To have the opportunity to go play Devin Booker and just to continue to grow his familiarity with great NBA scorers and understand the nuances of how games are reffed and the nuances of how these clever guards navigate pick-and-roll offenses especially and try to play like he plays without fouling, that’s just one other later to try and learn before the playoff stage comes around,” Brown added. “I see it that realistically and simply to me and with J-Rich or no J-Rich, it’s a fantastic opportunity for Matisse tomorrow against Devin Booker.”
Thybulle also understands those same issues and he has been studying Booker’s game to prepare for this moment. He still has a lot of learning to do in terms of how guys tend to score and how they come off of screens and such and Booker offers the next learning opportunity.
“He’s a crafty player,” said Thybulle. “He’s really good at drawing fouls and getting guys off their feet and that’s something I’ve struggled with in the past and I think I’ve done a pretty good job of being conscious of and not doing so far in the restart. Just trying to stick to that, playing solid defense, and not giving up any cheap ones.”
Thybulle played a lot on Sunday having to chase around Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. This matchup against Booker is just another potential feather to add to his cap.
“I’m super proud and that’s getting thrown in the fire as a rookie,” said Richardson. “To get your first big minutes in a while against a scoring tandem like that. I think that he did a good job and I’m taking him in that matchup 10 times out of 10. He’s a guy I definitely want in my foxhole.”
The Sixers and the Suns tipoff at 4:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday. [lawrence-related id=36667,36637,36627]