Ben Simmons spoke highly of his fellow Sixers’ teammate Matisse Thybulle. The two-time All-Star considers the Philadelphia 76ers rookie one of the best defenders in the league in his first season in the NBA.
“He’s been great. He’s willing to learn. Everyone has that kind of rookie bump, as they say. But I haven’t really noticed a huge bump with him,” Simmons said on Reel Talk with Sixers reporter Brian Seltzer, per Bleacher Report. “I think he’s been very solid overall. He’s gotten a lot better, his confidence is getting better and better. Defensively, his confidence is there – he knows he’s one of the best defenders in the NBA.”
Both Simmons and Thybulle are an impressive combination οn the defensive end for the Philadelphia 76ers, being the third-best duo of the team with more than 700 minutes on the court.
Namely, Philadelphia is allowing just 102.8 points per 100 possessions, when Thybulle and Simmons are playing together in the perimeter.
Although Thybulle’s game on the offensive end is quite unpolished, he quickly became a valuable member of the Sixers with his on-ball defending, his “instincts” and his ability to disrupt his opponents.
