Matisse Thybulle Apologizes to Sixers Fans After Losing to Mikal Bridges in NBA 2K20
It might not be what everybody wanted, but for the first time in a long time, the city of Philadelphia got some basketball action this past Friday night. No, the Wells Fargo Center didn't actually open up for an event, as the arena is still undergoing a major cleaning.
But virtually, The Center was open and packed in with fans on NBA 2K20 Friday night. Had the NBA season been going on as scheduled on Friday, the Sixers would've hosted the Phoenix Suns for the first time during the 2019-2020 season.
Unfortunately, that game, along with the remaining 17 games on the Sixers schedule, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak across America. So, for the time being, NBA teams and players have been looking for ways to keep their fans entertained during such a tough time where everybody is asked to stay in the house.
On Friday night, the Sixers' organization put together something interesting for the fans. They decided to pair their first-round rookie Matisse Thybulle up with Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges so they could face off in NBA 2K20 for all to see.
The game was streamed live via Twitch at 7 pm EST. Many Sixers fans tuned in to root for Thybulle, but unfortunately, the rookie guard did not represent the 76ers well on the game. Bridges ended up taking the cake with a 75-64 victory. Afterward, Thybulle regretted his poor play on the game.
"I apologize to the Sixers, my family, my friends, and Philadelphia," Thybulle said on the stream. The rookie also vowed to "get in the gym" when it comes to 2K20, as he sees his virtual game is clearly flawed. Perhaps next time the Sixers send a player on Twitch to represent their team through video games, they should choose somebody like Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid -- they might be more prepared for it.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_