Ranking the Sixers’ reserves — 2. Matisse Thybulle
There will be nights where it feels like Matisse Thybulle is the undisputed No. 1 on this list. Other nights, he will feel like No. 5, and that will feel generous. Such is life with Thybulle, a historically great defender who can’t do much of anything on offense.
For a while now, we have been anticipating Thybulle’s leap to offensive competency. “If he can just become a league-average shooter,” they said. Well, color me skeptical of Thybulle ever becoming a consistently good shooter. He doesn’t have the touch or the mechanics to get there, and it would take a minor miracle to move him meaningfully in the right direction. He’s not someone defenses have to pay much attention to.
That said, Thybulle is someone offenses have to pay attention to. He’s possibly the best on-ball stopper in the NBA, and if not, he’s damn close. On top of that, he’s pretty clearly the most dominant off-ball defender in the game, with alien-like anticipation and cat-like reflexes. He led the Sixers in total steals and blocks last season, and is on pace to repeat that accomplishment this season.
On a lot of nights, the Sixers will get more value out of Niang’s offensive contributions. But, on some nights, often on the biggest stage against the biggest opponents, the Sixers can’t really live without Thybulle’s defense. He can shut down even the NBA’s most dynamic guards, which is a nice asset when you’re trying to win the championship against guard-driven teams.