The 76ers will be without Matisse Thybulle when they face the Raptors in the first round in Toronto.
The Philadelphia 76ers have clinched the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, putting them in the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the No. 5 Toronto Raptors.
The 76ers, though, will be without one of their key defensive players when they face the Raptors in Toronto for Games 3 and 4.
Matisse Thybulle will be ineligible for Games 3 and 4 owing to Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Coach Doc Rivers, the head coach, confirmed the claim.
Note for Philadelphia (4) vs. Toronto (5) series: 76ers All-Defensive wing Matisse Thybulle is currently ineligible for games in Toronto due to Canada’s vaccine mandate.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 11, 2022
Matisse Thybulle is ineligible to play in the first round against the Raptors on the road
On Sunday, Thybulle told reporters that he had not been properly inoculated against COVID-19. The third-year player said he had one dose of the vaccine, but he didn’t want to get any more and would instead look into natural remedies.
There is a tweet from Kyle Neubeck of the Philadelphia Voice that has the full answer from Thybulle.
Thybulle’s opening answer tonight on why he is not fully vaccinated stems from his upbringing.
“I was raised in a holistic household, where anti-vax is not like a term that was ever used, it’s a weird term that has been kind of thrown around to just label people.”
Full quote: pic.twitter.com/2zwNaLTOcZ
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) April 11, 2022
A traveler must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to enter Canada. At least two doses of the vaccine or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine must be given to be considered fully vaccinated by the government.
Thybulle has averaged 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 65 games this season, while shooting 49.7% from the field.
As of this writing, the 76ers’ playoff schedule has yet to be revealed.
