It’s been a rough season for Joel Embiid and the 76ers lately.
After a blazing start with the newly-acquired James Harden after the All-Star Break, where they sat near the top of the East, Philadelphia is just (yes, just) 10-6 in their last 16 games. In a typical stretch of a season, that’s a solid month or so run. When you’re in a three-way with the Celtics and Heat for the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 seeds, respectively: Any slight mistake could spell out first-round doom.
No one said that slight mistake might be the availability of role player-slash-key-wing-defender Matisse Thybulle in a crucial Thursday game.
On the latest injury report, the 76ers list Matisse Thybulle as “ineligible to play” tomorrow’s game in Toronto.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 6, 2022
Wait, what does “ineligible to play” mean? I’m not sure I’ve seen that descriptor on an injury report before. Oh, wait: The 76ers’ game against the Raptors is in Toronto.
You know, the same Toronto in Canada? That same Canada that doesn’t allow people unvaccinated against COVID-19 across their borders?
This drawback, while unconfirmed, might add up for Thybulle.
ESPN reported last week that Boston and Philadelphia declined to say whether their teams were fully vaccinated, and thus eligible to play games in Toronto. Currently, Toronto is seeded fifth, and lined up to play Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs. https://t.co/fjCeg33eYD
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 6, 2022
The 76ers have not confirmed whether or not Thybulle is unvaccinated against COVID-19. But “ineligible to play” is a new one and a stipulation that certainly didn’t apply in any of their recent road games in Indianapolis and Cleveland — both, notably, on the main United States landmass.
Whatever is wrong with Thybulle, his situation does present a potential stroke of bad luck for the 76ers if it continues. If Philadelphia doesn’t shift out of the current No. 4 seed by the end of the regular season, they will play the No. 5 Raptors in the first round.
That means a potential three road games in Toronto, which, again, is in Canada. None of this mess is ideal, but when has anything ever been easy for the 76ers?
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