Sixers' Joel Embiid Raved About Matisse Thybulle's Defense in Game 1 vs. Wizards

Sixers center Joel Embiid had nothing but great things to say about Matisse Thybulle's defense in Game 1 against the Wizards on Sunday.

Philadelphia 76ers second-year guard Matisse Thybulle is still a work in progress when it comes to his offensive value. On the defensive side of the ball, though, he's arguably one of the best defenders in the game on the perimeter. 

Because of his defensive value alone, Thybulle has become a key member of Philly's rotation since joining the Sixers. Nothing about that changed in the playoffs this season as Thybulle garnered just under 14 minutes in Game 1 against the Washington Wizards on Sunday afternoon.

Coming off the bench, Thybulle became immediately responsible for sticking Washington stars such as Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook. In his 13 minutes and 46 seconds of playing time on Sunday, Thybulle picked up two steals and two blocked shots. While a lot of his defensive production doesn't show up on the stat sheets, Sixers center Joel Embiid spoke for his teammate's performance.

“He was great,” Embiid said after the game. “I thought he did probably the best job out of everybody on the team, and it was huge. I’ve been preaching the whole season, whether it’s (Matisse) being on the All-Defensive Team or saying that he has a chance to be Defensive Player the Year if he got the minutes he needed to accomplish that. He’s been huge all season, and we’re gonna need him to do the same [moving forward].”

Although Philly collected a 125-118 victory over Washington to kick the series off, they know there is still plenty of work to be done. As Wizards stars Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal are experienced veterans who won't give in to the Sixers easily, Philly will need to bring out all of their weapons to advance past the first round.

Thybulle's defense was a key heading into the series, and so far, he's done a solid job playing his role. Now, the Sixers just need him to remain consistent on the road to four wins over the Wizards.

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