For the Philadelphia 76ers to succeed and breakthrough in the Eastern Conference, they will need somebody who can help support their core players. That means doing the little things like knocking down open 3-pointers and playing terrific defense on the other end.
The Sixers had that guy in Robert Covington before moving him for Jimmy Butler, but now they seemed to have found a more advanced version of him in rookie Matisse Thybulle.
Over the previous 10 games, Thybulle is averaging 7.6 points and he’s shooting 59.4% from deep, now shooting 46.7% from deep on the season, to go along with his 1.6 steals per game average. He’s averaging 2.9 steals per 36 minutes and he has 37 steals in total. Compare those numbers to Covington’s 35.9% 3-point percentage during his time with the Sixers and it’s fair to believe Thybulle can be better and become this team’s big two-way, 3-and-D player.
“A legitimate two-way player? That’s pretty significant,” said coach Brett Brown. “It’s true, he’s really been able to get it going. I like the fundamental of his shot, the balance of his waist, his feet, his release point, and his footwork from a shooting perspective is what I really like.”
The thing that Brown has always tried to grow with him is his NBA education and limit his recklessness a little bit. To know that he can’t leave these NBA shooters like Kemba Walker or Jayson Tatum and the like.
“When I watch the last time we played the Celtics (opening night) and I see this wild kid flying around the gym and having no idea that he just left Kemba to go try and make a play on (Daniel) Theis at a block and he just left a great shooter,” he said. “I think the polishing up of taking his athletic base and his instinct to move and be disruptive and polish it up within himself like ‘What’s time and score. Who’s in foul trouble? What are the NBA rules?’, feeling how refs ref the game, that has increased dramatically.”
Thybulle’s ability to also grow smarter has limited his fouls per game. Over that 10 game stretch, he’s averaging only 2.0 fouls per game after averaging 2.4 fouls over his first 16 games. That kind of growing basketball IQ coupled with his physical gifts is a big step up for him.
“For me, it breeds confidence that not only do you have a very good defensive player and a bouncy athlete, he’s getting smarter,” the coach added. “The fact that he’s now getting his feet set and understanding how to catch-shoot, shoot-catch in the environment of playing with some really good players, just rounds it out where I’m thrilled with where he’s at.”
The Sixers will surely benefit from his growing development as a player as the season wears on and into the playoffs. His growth has been terrific for them. [lawrence-related id=21329,21321,21313]