Doc Rivers Admits It Can Be Difficult Playing Matisse Thybulle

Coming into the NBA, Philadelphia 76ers first-round pick Matisse Thybulle established himself as a defensive phenom in college. After winning the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award after his senior season at Washington, Thybulle was ready to take his defense to the next level.

The young wing didn't disappoint. During his rookie season, Thybulle quickly established himself as one of the Sixers' best defenders. While he was in and out of the rotation, Thybulle's defense alone kept him in the mix early on.

That continued to be the case for the next couple of seasons. However, the Sixers expected Thybulle's offense to blossom over time. With a consistent three-point shot, Thybulle could be one of the most reliable three-and-D guys in the league.

But a few seasons into his pro career, Thybulle has yet to show that he can consistently score on the offensive end.

After knocking down 35-percent of his threes and averaging four points in 2019-2020, Thybulle saw those numbers dip to 30-percent and three points per game last season. This year, Thybulle's scoring average is up to five points per game, but his shooting from beyond the arc is at its lowest it's been since he got started in the NBA at 28-percent.

While the Sixers would like Thybulle to become a consistent three-point shooter, he's shown he could score in other ways by cutting to the basket. In Monday's loss against Denver, Thybulle looked like a stellar two-way version of himself as he collected nine points on the offensive end along with six steals and two blocks on the defensive end.

That version of Thybulle is exactly what the Sixers need -- but they don't consistently get it. The Sixers understand that it might be too late in the year to expect Thybulle to always make an impact on the offensive end, but if he's not shutting things down on the other side of the ball too, then Sixers head coach Doc Rivers makes it clear that it becomes difficult to play the third-year wing.

The Struggle With Playing Thybulle

"The number one thing is he has to do is be dynamic defensively every night," said Rivers following Monday night's game against the Denver Nuggets. "Because if he isn't, then it's hard to play him. It's the same thing with an offensive player. I had Lou Williams. If Lou Williams didn't score, why would I have him on the floor, right? So just look at that in reverse."

Rivers believes that Thybulle's defense alone is enough to keep him on the court when it's at its best. But if he's struggling on that side, then he could become unplayable at times. To think Thybulle might lose his spot in Philly's rotation if he can't get it together offensively by the postseason would be a stretch.

But if there are long stretches in the playoffs where the Sixers need to count on their offense more than anything, the third-year wing could spend a lot of time spectating as the Sixers continue to rely on him defensively more than anything. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.