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Tim BontempsESPN
The Philadelphia 76ersListened guard Matisse ThybulleThybulle was deemed “ineligible to participate” in Thursday’s Toronto game against the Raptors. This could indicate that Thybulle may also be unable or unwilling to play in any of the three road games in a possible playoff series between these two franchises.
ESPN asked the four top teams in the conference — Philadelphia, New York, and Washington — for their opinions last week. Miami Heat, Milwaukee BucksAnd Boston Celtics— Whether their rosters had been fully vaccinated and therefore eligible to play in Toronto games. To enter the country, players must be vaccinated.
ESPN confirmed that Miami and Milwaukee have fully vaccinated their teams, while Boston and Philadelphia declined comment.
The 76ers vs Raptors matchup will take place Wednesday evening as the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds.
Thybulle turned 25 last month and has since become one of the NBA’s top wing defenders. He averages 1.1 steals per game and 1.8 blocks. Thybulle is the only player in the league averaging at least one block and steal per game.
Thybulle would be especially missed by a Philadelphia team that lacks much other defensive talent than him, and is also a potential MVP candidate. Joel EmbiidAdditionally, he is a candidate for All-Defensive Team.
It would be a big step towards securing a matchup in round one for both teams if Toronto beats Philadelphia. But, the Sixers could win the game, and the final two against Indiana on Saturday or Detroit on Sunday, and they would be guaranteed to finish no lower than third. Thanks to the Celtics/Bucks, who currently share a tie with Philadelphia, with 49-30 records, and are playing Thursday night at Milwaukee, the Bucks and Celtics will not allow them to fall below third.
The playoffs will begin on April 16th and 17th, with Games 3 and 4, which would be held in Toronto, likely to start two weeks after Wednesday.
To be considered fully vaccinated in Canada, one must be two weeks past a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or two weeks past the second shot of the two-dose vaccines. To be eligible to play in any game in a first-round playoff series, unvaccinated players must have received the one dose vaccine.
Unvaccinated players are the most common reason why players miss games. Brooklyn NetsStar Kyrie IrvingBefore the city’s recent vaccination regulations were changed to allow unvaccinated athletes in New York to play in home games, he was unable play at Barclays Center or Madison Square Garden.