Philadelphia 76ers: 3 players who must step up in the playoffs

Matisse Thybulle

First on our list is the young rookie Matisse Thybulle. He kicks off the list because the Philadelphia 76ers are going to need more production from the perimeter. Because Thybulle is one of the better perimeter defenders on the roster, he will likely get more minutes coming off the bench.

Thybulle began his rookie campaign under the radar. Many saw him as a prototypical “3-and-D” player, similar to Danny Green. In this sense, he can hit shots when called upon and also play lockdown defense on the other end. Since joining the NBA, Thybulle has flourished as a defender, averaging an impressive 1.4 steals per game. As a rookie, that sort of production is something that makes you think “wow, he’s going to be in the league for a long time.”

With that in mind, it will be important for Thybulle to maintain that sort of production on the defensive end. As the game begins to slow down, on-ball defense will be even more important. A steal here and there could be the difference between a win and a loss. With that in mind, it would make sense for head coach Brett Brown to count on Thybulle a little more in those one-on-one situations.

In the playoffs, there is a common line of thinking where coaches will shorten the rotation, allowing for the top eight or nine players on the roster to get increased playing time. This means that there will be more opportunities for Thybulle to produce on both ends of the floor.

With that in mind, the most obvious area where Thybulle can improve is on the shooting side of things. Shooting a decent 35.2 percent from three is all well and good, but come playoff time, Thybulle will need to produce more. Simply put, Thybulle will need to hit the shots that come his way. While they may not be as frequent as during the regular season, the Sixers will need to depend on Thybulle when his number is called.