Philadelphia 76ers: Matisse Thybulle should start in the playoffs

The Philadelphia 76ers currently sit atop the Eastern Conference with just 17 games remaining in the regular season. As the playoffs approach, Doc Rivers needs to solidify a strong postseason rotation that will undoubtedly feature a shortened bench. Outside of the current starters, I only expect Matisse Thybulle, Dwight Howard and George Hill to be locks for playoff minutes at the moment. However, Matisse should get starting consideration over Seth Curry.

I know Curry is a much better offensive player than Matisse and he is also Doc Rivers’ son-in-law. But, as much as the offense favors Curry in this player comparison, the defense may favor Matisse to an even greater extent. Curry’s play in the Sixers offense reminds me a lot of J.J. Redick during his time in Philly. Both are knockdown shooters that help space the floor for Embiid, but they get absolutely exposed on defense.

Matisse Thybulle is already one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball. He will play an integral role in the Philadelphia 76ers’ forthcoming championship pursuit.

Defense is arguably more important than offense in the playoffs and with a highly anticipated matchup with the Brooklyn Nets expected at some point this postseason, the Sixers need to focus on their strengths. The biggest strength for this team is defense. They are currently second in the NBA in defensive efficiency rating behind only the Los Angeles Lakers.

Matisse helps bolster an already stacked defense and provides another premier perimeter defender to pair with Ben Simmons, this season’s Defensive Player of the Year. Having Matisse and Simmons guarding two of the Nets big three players allows the other Sixers on the floor to worry less about help defense. This explicitly applies to Embiid, who can stay home and deter opposing players from driving in the lane.

The decrease in offense by starting Matisse over Curry is not as drastic as fans may expect. Matisse, even with his shooting struggles, can make open 3s when teams back off him. He has also shown great proficiency in running the fast break with Simmons, a skill that is frequently overlooked.

Philadelphia fans are more optimistic about this Sixers team than they have been in a long time. There is a certain energy in the city that I haven’t felt since the Iverson days. With a focus on defense and inserting Matisse into the starting lineup, the Sixers might have the best chance to obtain that incredibly elusive title this city is craving.