The Los Angeles Lakers signed Matisse Thybulle for his defense, but were hopeful his 3-point shooting improvements with the Portland Trail Blazers were real. He has twice made second-team All-Defense, but his lack of offensive game held him back. Thybulle shot 32.5 percent from long range over three and a half seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. It jumped to 37.4 percent in his three and a half seasons in Portland. He has been lights out since joining the Lakers.
Thybulle is shooting 42.8 percent on his 42 3-point attempts in the first nine games. He has started every contest, and his no-dip shot has been just what the Lakers need. Fans know Luka Doncic is one of the best creators on the planet. He needs shooting and defense around him. Thybulle is providing both.
The 29-year-old wing came to the Lakers on a minimum contract, and LA got a steal. He won’t make the All-Defensive team this year, but Thybulle is impacting the game on both ends. He is creating turnovers, playing stout defense, and shooting the lights out. The 6’5 wing has fit perfectly into his role and has been a key part of the 7-2 start.
Matisse Thybulle has become a plus shooter
Thybulle has embraced the no-dip three, and it is a thing of beauty. The quick release allows him to fire whenever he’s open.
He struggled making catch-and-shoot 3-pointers in Philadelphia. Things quickly changed when he arrived in Portland. Over the last three seasons, he shot 37.7 percent on his 326 catch-and-shoot triples.
Credit to Thybulle. The 6’5 wing has worked incredibly hard to plug arguably the biggest hole in his game. He struggled to play 25 minutes each night early in his career because he was an offensive liability. Teams would leave him open, and the 6’5 wing couldn’t make them pay.
The Lakers jumped at the chance to add Thybulle on a minimum contract this offseason. His 3-point shooting success in Portland gave LA hope that he would be even better when being fed by The Don.
Matisse Thybulle is suddenly the 3-and-D wing Luka wants
The Lakers used the Mavericks’ 2024 roster that Doncic led to the NBA Finals as a blueprint to rebuild around their superstar this summer. Thybulle is one of nine new players on their roster.
Luka needs shooting and defense flanking him. He maximizes players like Thybulle. Doncic isn’t an elite defender, but his size and basketball IQ allow him to make plays. Having a stout option like Thybulle allows the Lakers to be passable on this end of the floor.
Number 77 loves to kick for open threes and is magnificent at passing right into a player’s shooting pocket. Thybulle isn’t even bringing the ball down, which has already resulted in 18 3-pointers made.
The Lakers need role players around Luka and Austin Reaves who are comfortable spotting up and knocking down shots. The star duo is going to do the majority of the ball-handling, playmaking, and scoring. Thybulle is comfortable waiting in the corner and knocking down an open look.
Credit to Lakers for signing Matisse Thybulle on the minimum
LA did a fantastic job landing Thybulle and Ziaire Williams on minimum contracts in free agency. They both should be starters and are the ideal 3-and-D wings to play off Doncic. They can guard the opposition’s best scorer and creator, while knocking down open shots on the other end.
Thybulle has a lengthy injury history. He played 45 games in the last two seasons combined and has topped 66 contests in a season just once. That is why he was available on a minimum contract.
The injuries overshadowed the fact that Thybulle became a plus shooter in Portland, but the Lakers noticed. They won the war for his services. He is starting and filling the role vacated by Marcus Smart. Thybulle is playing the second-most minutes of his career and thriving next to Luka in Los Angeles.
Matisse Thybulle is a plus 3-point shooter now. That didn’t seem possible at the start of his career, but the Portland Trail Blazers helped fix his shot. The 6’5 wing has taken his success to another level with the Los Angeles Lakers. Don’t expect Thybulle to slow down. He is getting a ton of open looks and not hesitating to knock them down.
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