The Philadelphia 76ers have their fair share of prolific shooters. Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are the first names that come to most people’s minds. But, as the NBA continues to become a three-point dominant league, offensive firepower is necessary down the depth chart. Matisse Thybulle is one player the Sixers need to find his offensive game.
Thybulle is one of the best defenders not only on his team, but in the league. In just three seasons, he has appeared on two All-Defensive teams. The noise he makes on the defensive end turns into a hum on the offensive end.
Matisse Thybulle has only made 32.4% of his shots from downtown. During the playoffs, he made just 28.6% of his three-point shots. The contrast is jarring, and if the Sixers still plan to be a dominant force in the Eastern Conference, Thybulle must find a spark on offense.
“I have something I do really well and it helps me bring value to the game but outside of that, if I can be a decent three-point shooter, an effective fastbreak player, and an efficient straight-line driver to the basket, I think, without trying to put more on my plate that’s necessary, that that feels like the simplest approach to just lay a foundation for being more of an asset on the other end of the court,” Thybulle said.
It’s clear that the University of Washington standout knows this and, unlike his compatriot, took it upon himself to improve his game. This summer, Matisse Thybulle worked with Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard. According to Thybulle, the pair worked on several things, including corner threes and catch-and-shoot scenarios.
“A lot of it was shooting, shooting related,” Thybulle said during Sixers media day. “It’s hard to create defensive situations in the offseason. Mostly just working on myself offensively with ball-handling in the open court or corner threes and just catch and shoot and doing things off the move.”
With a talented passer like James Harden now in the lineup, those open corner threes looks will be more common. Matisse Thybulle must be confident enough to take that shot. It could be a corner three that makes or breaks the Sixers’ season.
Of course, neglecting his defensive game is not what Thybulle wants to do. Nor is he showing signs of doing that. Embiid wants the Sixers to be the defensive team in the league.
Well, the best defense is an excellent offense in the current NBA. If the Sixers are to become that top defensive team, all players on the court must execute on both ends of the court. That includes Matisse Thybulle.
