Matisse Thybulle Shines in Blazers Debut After Trade From Sixers

After spending four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Matisse Thybulle found himself in the middle of a four-team trade. Going into the 2022 NBA trade deadline, there was a lot of smoke surrounding Thybulle, as there was a strong possibility he could be traded.

While Thybulle’s name was involved in trade rumors numerous times in the past, his departure from Philly seemed inevitable this time around. As Thybulle and the Sixers failed to agree on an extension before the deadline, the young veteran was set to become a free agent this upcoming offseason.

In a four-team trade between the Sixers, Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, and the Portland Trail Blazers, Thybulle was shipped off to Portland. As the Sixers moved the defensive standout along with a second-round pick, they netted two picks in return, along with Hornets wing Jalen McDaniels.

While McDaniels joined the Sixers last Friday, he didn’t make his debut with the team until Saturday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets on the road. Then on Monday, McDaniels appeared in his second game with the Sixers as they faced the Houston Rockets at home.

Roughly an hour after the Sixers closed out their matchup against the Rockets with a win, Thybulle finally had the opportunity to make his debut donning his new uniform out in Portland. 

In his first game with the Blazers, Thybulle got the nod to start at forward. While he has starting experience with the Sixers, joining Philly’s starting five in 78 games over the last four years, he was typically a replacement when injury concerns struck.

While with the Blazers, it seems Thybulle is set to become a full-time starter as long as he maintains a solid level of play. So far, his first outing with the Blazers was an impressive one.

In the first quarter of action, Thybulle checked in for nine minutes. He was far from gun-shy, as he put up six shots from the field, which led the Blazers in the first quarter. While he only made two of those shots, they both came from beyond the arc, where he knocked down 50 percent of his first-quarter attempts. To no surprise, Thybulle was active on the defensive end of the floor right away, as he blocked two shots and snagged one steal and two rebounds. 

By the end of the first half, Thybulle had six points, four rebounds, one steal, and three blocked shots. He was a plus-nine in the 17 minutes he spent on the floor. While Damian Lillard’s scoring was key to Portland’s 65-46 lead through one half, Thybulle was a key contributor to Portland’s hot start.

In the second half, Thybulle continued taking the shots that were available to him. He hit on all three of his field goal attempts, with two of them coming from deep. Although he played just nine minutes in the final two quarters, the defensive standout accounted for eight points. 

All in all, Thybulle wrapped up his night with 14 points. He was one point shy away from his season-high when he scored 15 points against the Sacramento Kings in mid-December. As for threes, it was the most makes from deep for Thybulle this year. He wrapped up the night with six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and three blocks as the Blazers secured a 12-point victory over the Lakers.