Matisse Thybulle Could Return to Sixers' Lineup vs. Suns

When the Philadelphia 76ers were in Chicago on Sunday, the team wasn't sure if their third-year defensive standout Matisse Thybulle would be available to play or not.

This past Saturday, the Sixers added Thybulle to the injury report. He was questionable due to shoulder soreness.

Thybulle's recent setback shouldn't come as much of a surprise. A few weeks back, the young wing took a hard fall and was slow to get up. Although he remained in the game against the Boston Celtics for a little while longer, Thybulle's night ended early.

After coming off the floor for rest, Thybulle was checked out by the Sixers' medical staff. Soon, they ruled him out for the rest of the night, citing shoulder soreness as the reason why he couldn't return to the court.

When the Sixers traveled to face the Miami Heat for the following night, Thybulle was not a part of the trip. Instead, Thybulle remained in Philadelphia and underwent an MRI. That's when Thybulle was officially diagnosed with a shoulder sprain.

As soon as the Sixers received Thybulle's results, they ruled him out for at least a week. That's how long it would take before they would re-evaluate him again.

After missing five-straight games, Thybulle was re-evaluated and cleared for action. He played in the next six games before getting added to the injury report once again ahead of Sunday's matchup. While the Sixers deemed Thybulle a game-time decision versus the Bulls, he didn't get the green light to go. Therefore, Thybulle missed his sixth game since his fall on January 14.

Could Thybulle Return Soon?

The good news is that Thybulle's soreness doesn't seem too significant. While he missed Sunday's matchup in Chicago, the veteran wing could make a return on Monday night when the Sixers host the Phoenix Suns.

Per Philadelphia's injury report, Thybulle is once again listed as questionable. Similar to Sunday, he'll likely be a game-time decision as his playing status will depend on how he personally feels going into the Phoenix matchup.

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