Doc Rivers Preaches Patience With Sixers Guard Matisse Thybulle
Matisse Thybulle is in a much different position these days in comparison to his rookie season. Last year, as the Philadelphia 76ers' one and only first-round pick, Thybulle not only found himself becoming a regular in the team's rotation, but he also earned a spot in the starting lineup for 14 games as well.
Thybulle's defensive value was through the roof last season, but oftentimes he was a non-factor on offense. As he prepared for his sophomore season in the NBA, Thybulle focused on improving his three-point shot and overall offense, but it seems his improvements weren't drastic enough to help him stand out in training camp.
For the Sixers' first preseason game, Thybulle was inserted into the game as the Sixers' fifth sub. By the time the second and final preseason game rolled around, Thybulle didn't come in until after the rookie, Tyrese Maxey.
Similar to Thybulle's rookie season, Maxey is making it hard for the Sixers head coach, Doc Rivers, to keep him stashed away on the bench. Earlier this week, Rivers revealed that Maxey would likely be one of the Sixers' bench guys in the desired ten-man rotation, and the head coach kept his word on Wednesday.
As the Sixers hosted the Washington Wizards for the season-opener, Philly utilized a ten-man rotation, which contained Maxey -- but not Thybulle. Although Thybulle did make a late-game appearance, he played for just 17 seconds as the Sixers needed him on defense in the final minute so they could secure their lead.
While the situation certainly isn't favorable for Thybulle, Rivers once again reassured everybody that the second-year guard isn't lost in the lineup. "Matisse missed some time in camp,” Rivers pointed out after Wednesday's victory. “The young fellas are playing great; I thought in the first half [Tyrese Maxey] was terrific. Matisse will get his chance, and I tell him that every day.”
Despite being in a difficult predicament, Thybulle impressed his head coach with how well he handled taking a backseat at the start of this season. Throughout the night, the second-year guard remained energetic on the bench and cheered his team on. And by the time his number was called in the final minute, he was ready to roll.
“Matisse ripped his [warmups off], he couldn’t wait to get in," the coach said. "That tells me a lot about him.” In addition to keeping a positive attitude throughout the night, Thybulle also hit the court after the game to get an extra practice session in. It's unclear if and when Thybulle will get back to having a steady role in the Sixers' rotation, but that hasn't stopped the second-year guard from working and staying ready.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
