With the end of the regular season in sight, it seems to be only right to start considering which members of the Philadelphia 76ers should be candidates to be on one of the NBA’s All-Defensive team.
There are two easy candidates on the Sixers roster in MVP candidate Joel Embiid and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ben Simmons. However, the 76ers have another on their roster that should make an All-Defensive team.
Second year wing Matisse Thybulle has a legit case for making that team despite coming off the bench for the majority of the season and averaging just 19.3 minutes and 3.5 points on 30.9 percent from the 3-point line. His impact on the defensive end can’t be ignored.
Thybulle needs to represent the Sixers on an All-Defensive team.
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On the season, Thybulle has averaged 1.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks. While the rebounds averages aren’t that impressive for a wing player, his steals and blocks stats are beyond impressive.
His blocks per game average has him tied for 22nd in the whole NBA. Only Jerami Grant, Robert Covington, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only perimeter players who have averaged player who has averaged more blocks than Thybulle. Thybulle is also tied for 11th in steal averages with Nikola Jokic.
However, it’s not just general stats that speak to how well Thybulle has played on defense this season, it’s also the advanced stats as well. In terms of Defensive Rating per 100 possessions, Thybulle has a score of 103, which is pretty impressive. The only players who have played 100 minutes this season and have a better rating are Nerlens Noel, Rudy Gobert, Dwight Howard, and Anthony Davis.
For some reason, Thybulle’s Defensive Box Plus/Minus doesn’t count as a league qualifier. That being written, if the stat included players that played at least 100 minutes this season, he would have the best score with a plus-4.3.
On top of that Thybulle has had some marquee games this season. He’s shut down some individual matchups this year, for example, like when Philly played the Sacramento Kings, he locked down De’Aaron Fox.
He’s played in five games where he had at least two blocks and two steals. He also had 14 games where he’s recorded at least two blocks and 12 games with at least three steals. He even recorded five steals against the Chicago Bulls.
The only arguments that are against Thybulle for being named to an All-Defensive team are that he’s still the third best defender on this team and he’s coming off the bench in limited minutes. That being written, those arguments aren’t strong enough to discount what he’s done this season.
Thybulle deserves to be able to represent the Sixers on either the first or second All-Defensive team this season.