Thybulle is not vaccinated and will be ineligible for Games 3, 4 and 6 of the first round
Defensive star Matisse Thibole will be ineligible to play at least Games 3 and 4 of Philadelphia's first-round series against the Toronto Raptors, 76ers coach Doc Rivers confirmed on Sunday. Road players must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which means two weeks removed from the second dose of the two-shot vaccine or the first shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be eligible to enter Canada Huh. Depending on the series' schedule, it might be theoretically possible for Thiebull to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in time for Game 6, but it doesn't look like he was planning to do so.
"It was a decision I made a long time ago," Thaibul told reporters on Sunday. I was raised in a holistic family, anti wax is not a term that was ever used... we grew up with Chinese medicine and naturopaths." Thibaul revealed that he was struck by the idea. The first vaccine shot they got was that it would prevent them from getting or spreading the disease, but when that wasn't true, they felt comfortable handling COVID overall. "Whatever I get from alternative medicine," he said. Couldn't see any more benefit than that," he said.
Earlier in the regular season, ESPN asked the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference whether their rosters had been fully vaccinated given the issue. Bucks & Heat confirmed they were. The Celtics and 76ers did not comment. Both teams played road games in Toronto at the end of the regular season. Several key players were missing in Boston, including Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Al Horford, although it is unclear whether this was due to their vaccination status or potential injury. When Philadelphia traveled to Toronto, Thiebull was listed as ineligible.
Ironically, that game was Philadelphia's best chance to escape the Raptors in the first round. Toronto sat OG Anunoby and Fred Vanvleet for that matchup, but still managed to beat the healthy 76ers. That win was the difference between a No. 4 seed and a No. 2 seed for Philadelphia.
Ever since James Harden debuted in the 76s, Philadelphia has allowed only 105.6 points per 100 possessions with Thaybull on the floor... and 116 without him. His absence is crucial for a team that gave up its best defender while trading for Harden. Philadelphia would have a home-court advantage in the series, so Thyboul would be able to play up to four games of the series, but any time without him would leave the 76ers vulnerable.