Sixers react to Matisse Thybulle making All-Defensive Second Team
The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the top defensive teams in the league all season long. It’s a big reason why they were able to have so much success on the floor in the regular season and earn the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
With that team success comes some individual awards for the players on the roster. Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Matisse Thybulle were all named to an All-Defensive Team with Simmons making the First Team and Embiid and Thybulle being named to the Second Team.
Thybulle is one that stands out considering he only averaged 20.0 minutes per game and he started only eight of the 65 games he played in. He averaged 2.9 steals and 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes and he regularly came off the bench and locked up some of the game’s top stars.
“It’s great,” said coach Doc Rivers. “Considering the year, it’s like having Rollie Fingers. A relief pitcher to come in and shut the other team’s starting lineup down or other big hitters down and that’s what Matisse does for us.”
Fingers is a Hall of Fame relief pitcher for baseball and that is what Thybulle does for the Sixers. He constantly hops off the bench and he provides a big lift whenever the time calls for it. His defense against the likes of De’Aaron Fox, Trae Young, and Bradley Beal has been terrific and he always creates havoc in the passing lane.
As for the here and now, the Sixers have a goal in mind and that is to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in July. Thybulle, Embiid, and Simmons all need to lock in and take care of business.
“We need that defensive mentality to raise,” said Dwight Howard. “Right now it’s about winning the trophy and I’m really happy for those guys. It shows the hard work and effort and intensity that they play with all season long and they’ve been rewarded with this great gift, but the job isn’t complete. The job isn’t done yet and we gotta lock in.”
The Sixers and the Atlanta Hawks face off in a critical Game 5 on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EDT from Wells Fargo Center.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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