76ers guard Matisse Thybulle was given a hefty challenge during the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Matisse often was matched up on defense against Wizards superstar Bradley Beal. During game five, Thybulle was given the starting nod in place of the injured Joel Embiid and showed out in the 129-112 win over Washington. When Tisse guarded beal, he shot just 3/11 from the field.

Following the conclusion of the series, Matisse Thybulle spoke with the media about what he learned from guarding Bradley Beal.

“He’s one of the best scorers in the world. He’s a really, really high-level player, really high-level competitor. I think he helped push me to grow and open up areas for me where I need to grow and get better at. I loved the challenge, and I’m pretty sure he did, too.”

Matisse Thybulle’s strength on the defensive end is his relentless pursuit of the basketball. Through five games, he had eight blocks and seven steals in a dominant showing. Despite that, Matisse learned he had to learn when to pick his battles.

“You guard guys that are that talented, the gambles I can get away with on other guys and in other situations aren’t going to fly — because he’s just too talented, He makes reads too quickly. And also, when you’re at that level, he knows the tendencies of the guys guarding him. It definitely showed with how he attacked depending on who was guarding him. For me, ultimately, just continue to be more and more disciplined.”

The next round won’t be any easier for the 76ers shooting guard. His next assignment? The red-hot Trae Young. Young single handily killed the New York Knicks, averaging 29 points and ten assists, eliminating them in five games. It will be a big task, but like always, Matisse Thybulle is up for the challenge.

“He’s a dynamic scorer and passer. He draws a lot of attention out of the pick-and-roll. His ability to stretch the court with his three, with his range, I think we definitely match up well with these guys. We’re one of those rare teams that has a lot of options on defense, so we have the opportunity to throw a lot of guys at him. I’m fairly confident in our ability to match up with him.”

Philadelphia returns to action this Sunday, hosting the Atlanta Hawks for game one of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals at 1:00 on ABC. Between Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle, hopefully the Sixers can do a good job at containing Trae Young.

Mandatory Credit: Yahoo