Portland Trail Blazers guard Matisse Thybulle is embracing a label many teams try to avoid: the underdog. As Portland enters the 2026 NBA Playoffs as a No. 7 seed, Thybulle made it clear that being viewed as an underdog isn’t a slight—it’s part of the identity the team is leaning into, because it gives them an advantage over their more alpha colleagues.
Speaking to Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson ahead of a first-round matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, Thybulle framed the moment as an opportunity rather than a disadvantage.
The two-time All-Defensive selection is expected to anchor Portland’s perimeter defense in a series where slowing down elite scorers could determine whether the Blazers can pull off an upset.
Portland’s underdog status has been building for years.
But for Thybulle, impact isn’t measured by traditional metrics. His value has long lived outside the box score, rooted in defensive disruption and anticipation.
“It’s a little bit of both,” he said when describing his approach. “It’s instinct that you accumulate over years… and trying to read people. I feel that I know what they’re trying to do even though they’re not telegraphing it.”
That ability to process tendencies in real time has made him a key piece in Portland’s playoff strategy.
Off the court, Thybulle credits his balance to creative outlets like photography and writing, which he says allow him to reset mentally. “Having these outlets helped me reset… I show up better for basketball,” he explained.
Internally, that role is well defined. “If you’re in the game, the coaches are going to play the guys who are gonna win,” Thybulle said. “The media may not value it as much, but… when you watch, you know.”
