Philadelphia 76ers rookie Matisse Thybulle has undoubtedly made his mark on the NBA and the Sixers so far. He is averaging 1.4 steals in only 19.5 minutes per game and he has totaled 80 steals and 40 blocks this season making him one of the most impressive defenders in the game currently.
At the NBA level, you are going to run into players who are just at another level and he’s tough to stop. For Thybulle, that guy is Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
When answering questions on the NBA’s official Twitter account, Thybulle had this to say about the 2-time Finals MVP:
Hardest guy for me to guard, I’d say is Kawhi and it’s funny because he wasn’t even my matchup that game so I just got switched on to him a couple of times, but seeing how he’s a methodical dude out there on the court and he just gets to his spots and he elevates. It’s one of the hardest things to stop.
Q: #NBATogether Who's the hardest person you have had to guard in the NBA so far?
– @Bbouy_1A: 🔊 @MatisseThybulle pic.twitter.com/pIqT8n5waC
— NBA (@NBA) May 12, 2020
In two games against the Sixers in the 2019-20 season, Leonard averaged 30.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds. The superstar has been a thorn in the team’s side over the last few years and it appears that it will remain that way. [lawrence-related id=30888,30882,30872]