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Sixers expediting Matisse Thybulle’s role

"It is most definitely on my mind to increase his role. Give him more responsibility/minutes and whatever is a rational way to deliver him to the playoffs where he has an actual role," Sixers coach Brett Brown said of Thybulle.

Sixers' Matisse Thybulle  fights over a screen set by Brooklyn Nets' Jarrett Allen while guarding Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the fourth quarter of a Wednesday's game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won, 117-106.
Sixers' Matisse Thybulle fights over a screen set by Brooklyn Nets' Jarrett Allen while guarding Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the fourth quarter of a Wednesday's game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won, 117-106.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

Right now, the 76ers are focused on delivering Matisse Thybulle to the playoffs.

Coach Brett Brown made that clear Thursday, one day at the rookie started in a victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Thybulle’s defensive presence against the squad with exceptional wings was part of the reason for his fourth career start.

“Second, it is most definitely on my mind to increase his role,” Brown said, “give him more responsibility/minutes [in] whatever is a rational way to deliver him to the playoffs where he has an actual role.”

Despite being a first-year player, Thybulle has established himself as the team’s best three-and-D player. The 22-year-old is arguably the person the Sixers (26-16) will depend on the most outside of the starters.

The former Washington standout is shooting 41.8% on three-pointers and has a rookie-leading 1.41 steals per game. His three-point percentage is second among rookies behind the Raptors’ Matt Thomas (46.5%).

Thybulle also averages 4.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals in 18.3 minutes. Wednesday marked his fourth game back since missing seven due to a right knee sprain and bone bruise. He finished with five points, a career-high four steals, and two blocks in just under 27 minutes against the Nets.

“I see that happening now,” Brown said of making Thybulle playoff-ready. “... because of injury that’s why I’m trying to expedite it a little bit more lately. But [his starting Wednesday was] driven for those reasons.”

Thybulle struggled to regain his groove in his first three games back. He shot 2-for-16 and scored a combined eight points against the Boston Celtics (Jan. 9), Dallas Mavericks (Saturday), and Indiana Pacers (Monday). But he made 2 of 4 shots, including a big three-pointer, in Wednesday’s victory.

Thybulle also had a hand in helping to shutdown Nets point guard Kyrie Irving. Thybulle held Irving to one point on 0-for-2 shooting while guarding the All-Star.

“It’s cool, it’s kind of been a process of just earning his trust,” Thybulle said. “I think at the beginning, I didn’t deserve a lot of it and he’s allowed me to play through a lot of mistakes.”

The Sixers host the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. Friday. This won’t be the first time that Thybulle will face Bulls star guard Zach LaVine. As a freshman at Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash., Thybulle guarded LaVine, then a standout at Bothell High (Wash.) in his first high school game.

Now, he’ll try to prevent LaVine and the Bulls (15-27) from winning consecutive games. Chicago beat the Washington Wizards, 115-106, Wednesday. The Bulls had lost eight of 10 games before that victory.