PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers will face the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the NBA playoffs, and defensive end Matisse Thybulle will only be able to play in the Sixers’ home games.
Unvaccinated aliens are currently barred from entering Canada and Thybulle is not fully vaccinated. Limited exceptions to the rule no longer apply to professional athletes and as such coach Doc Rivers said Sunday Thybulle was “ineligible” for Games 3 and 4.
Thybulle said after the 76ers’ 118-106 win over the Detroit Pistons Sunday he grew up in a “holistic household” and refused to get fully vaccinated. He said he felt the need to get a shot last season but didn’t pull off another one, saying: ‘I felt I had a solid base of medical resources that could serve me beyond what this vaccine did could do for me.”
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“It wasn’t the result I wanted,” he said. “It’s always hard not to be available.”
Thybulle said he accepted that his decision could harm the Sixers, his reputation and future earnings, but he sees no benefits to be gained from trying “alternative medicine”.
“I made that decision and thought I could keep it to myself, I could hide it,” Thybulle said.
Thybulle’s situation is nothing new for Rivers and the Sixers, who finished at No. 4 in the Eastern Conference and appeared to be headed for a postseason date with Toronto for a while.
“We knew pretty well it was going into the game,” Rivers said on Sunday. “So we’ll be ready.”
Joel Embiid and James Harden prevailed in the regular-season finale, letting Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey take the lead in the 12-point win.
Rivers will give the Sixers a day off Monday and use Tuesday to film before playoff practice begins.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.