Matisse Thybulle Could Return vs. Pelicans

The Philadelphia 76ers have dealt with several significant setbacks lately, but they could get a reinforcement on Tuesday night when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Veteran small forward Matisse Thybulle has been off the court for a little over a week. As the Sixers faced the Boston Celtics at home on January 14, Thybulle took a hard fall, which caused him to deal with shoulder soreness.

Although Thybulle could get up and continue playing against the Celtics, he was ruled out for the rest of the night when he came off the floor in the second half. Per the Sixers, Thybulle was dealing with shoulder soreness after his fall.

Following Philadelphia’s big win over Boston, the Sixers traveled to Miami the same night as they had a game on the schedule for Saturday night. However, Thybulle was not a part of the trip. Instead, the defensive standout remained in Philadelphia and received an MRI on his shoulder.

Last Sunday, Thybulle’s MRI results revealed he’s dealing with a shoulder sprain. At that point, the Sixers ruled out Thybulle for at least a week’s worth of games. He was set to be re-evaluated this week.

When Will Thybulle Return?

For the last five games, Thybulle has been out of the Sixers’ rotation. The Sixers went 3-2 with wins over the Heat, Magic, and the Spurs during that span. While there’s no guarantee Thybulle will avoid missing his sixth-straight game, the veteran has a chance to play on Tuesday when the Sixers host the New Orleans Pelicans.

According to Philadelphia’s early injury report, Thybulle has been upgraded to questionable. Typically, the Sixers leave the door open for their questionable players to become game-time decisions. That could very well be the case for Thybulle on Tuesday night.

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

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