Due to unfortunate circumstances, the Philadelphia 76ers have had a plethora of different starting lineup combinations. One person who isn't fazed by this is Sixers head coach Doc Rivers. Before the season began, he said the starting lineup could change on a nightly basis. In his eye, the Sixers' roster has more than five guys who are capable of being NBA starters.
The main debate regarding the Sixers' starting five is at the wing position. Matisse Thybulle and Danny Green each have strong cases as to why they should join Tyrese Maxey, Seth Curry, Tobias Harris, and Joel Embiid in the opening lineup.
Recently, we've seen Rivers make this decision based on who the Sixers are facing on a given night. Their matchup with the Golden State Warriors is a prime example. With a high-powered guard like Steph Curry on the opposing team, Rivers opted to start Thybulle for his all-world defense. This proved to be a great decision as the 24-year-old made life miserable for Curry all night.
While starting Thybulle surely has its perks, it can be a double-edged sword at times. Due to offensive limitations, having him on the floor can do more harm than good. We saw this become an issue when the Sixers faced off against the Heat earlier this week.
When Thybulle is not finding ways to be effective on offense, opposing teams resort to leaving him uncovered. Essentially leave the Sixers to play four on five on that end of the floor. This makes life significantly harder for Joel Embiid as opposing defenses can easily collapse on him.
Following the loss to Miami, Rivers touched on the challenge of playing Thybulle when his offensive game isn't there are some nights.
“It depends on the night. Golden State is a pretty good offensive team, we had him out there, and we were pretty effective. On a night like tonight, when Matisse [Thybulle] has not given us a great defensive night, and they're helping off of him, you to take him out,” said Rivers.
This situation has always been an uphill battle for Thybulle and the Sixers but has grown to be more problematic due to recent events. With it continuing to look like Ben Simmons may never return to the Sixers, they need increased minutes from Thybulle on a nightly basis. Green is still a positive on the defensive end, but at this stage in his career, he's in no position to guard an opponent's top perimeter player every night.
Un-tapping Thybulle's offensive game is a top priority for the Sixers as the regular season rolls along. Come the postseason, he will need to be out there for long stretches if they want a chance at slowing down opposing stars.
There is no denying Thybulle can be a difference-maker with his defense. But as long as this short leash is needed, it will hinder his ability to impact games in big moments.
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