Doc Rivers Offers Injury Update on Matisse Thybulle Ahead of Nets Matchup

The Philadelphia 76ers are set to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night. Unfortunately for Philly, they'll be without their third-year guard Matisse
Doc Rivers Offers Injury Update on Matisse Thybulle Ahead of Nets Matchup
Doc Rivers Offers Injury Update on Matisse Thybulle Ahead of Nets Matchup /

The Philadelphia 76ers are set to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night. Unfortunately for Philly, they'll be without their third-year guard Matisse Thybulle. Earlier in the week, Thybulle started dealing with shoulder soreness. That left the young guard questionable for Thursday's matchup versus the Toronto Raptors.

Hours before tip-off, the 76ers ruled Thybulle out for the second preseason game of the year. In addition to pulling him from the rotation, the team also revealed that Thybulle was likely to miss more time moving forward.

According to a team official, Thybulle has been dealing with right shoulder soreness. The strategy for the third-year guard moving forward is to have him undergo a personalized rehab plan right away. While a return date wasn't provided from the 76ers, the team made it clear Thybulle will be re-evaluated in one week.

As expected, Thybulle missed Saturday's scrimmage in Delaware. Also, he wasn't on the court as a participant in Sunday's practice as well. And when the Sixers face the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers made it clear Thybulle will not be on the floor as he continues his rehab. 

"He's sitting over there, he's over there now," Rivers said in regards to Thybulle after practice on Sunday afternoon. "I think he's close. He won't play tomorrow, I can tell you that. So, that's your scoop of the day. But he's close like, I don't even think if it was a playoff game, I don't know if we would play him tomorrow. So, it's not anything serious, but it's serious enough to sit out a game, I can tell you that. He'll be fine, is my overall thought." 

The fact that Rivers believes Thybulle's setback is serious enough for him to likely miss a postseason matchup is slightly concerning. However, the head coach reiterated that he thinks Thybulle will be fine after receiving some time off and undergoing treatment.

By missing Monday's matchup versus Brooklyn, Thybulle will officially sit out for half of the preseason. Whether he'll be healthy enough to participate in Friday's preseason finale against the Detroit Pistons or not is currently unclear. By then, he should receive his one-week evaluation.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.


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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA