Getty Miami Heat stars Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry celebrate a big play in Philadelphia.
One play served as a microcosm for the one-sided battle between Duncan Robinson and Matisse Thybulle. Late in the second quarter, Robinson initiated contact by wrapping his arms around Thybulle and got the foul call. It was that kind of night.
After the foul in question, Thybulle looked visibly frustrated as he argued the call with the officials. It was his second foul and he didn’t want to come out of the game. He eventually did after this third foul. Robinson didn’t notice any change in Thybulle’s demeanor.
“I’m not sure, I think he was in foul trouble or something,” Robinson said of Thybulle being frustrated. “He’s a really good defender, he really is.”
Robinson seemed to be one step ahead of Thybulle. He scored 17 of his 21 points before halftime while dishing out three dimes and grabbing eight boards. The Michigan product finished 6-of-16 from the field, including four triples. He cooled down in the second half, but a lot of that had to do with Gabe Vincent catching fire. And Thybulle getting into foul trouble.
“Matisse is a great defender. Super disruptive. Long, athletic, quick,” Robinson said. “I knew going in that that was going to be the matchup. Great challenge for both of us. Great challenge for me to try and get open and still get to my spots.”
Duncan Robinson dropped 21 points to go along with 8 rebounds in the Heat’s win. He speaks postgame!
Thybulle had to chase around Seth Curry four days earlier so maybe his legs were still a little heavy. He shut down the two-time NBA MVP, something Robinson was surely conscious of going in. Sixers head coach Doc Rivers benched his defensive stopper – and NBA Defensive Player of the Year candidate – for the fourth quarter, but it was due to poor offensive numbers and not his matchup on Robinson. The latter was a collective failure from the Sixers’ defense.
“I mean we were off Duncan. We lost Duncan Robinson five or six times,” Rivers said. “We were late on switches getting off of bodies.”
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Erik Spoelstra Talks Heat X-Factors
Robinson was one X-Factor for the Heat against Philadelphia. Gabe Vincent and Dewayne Dedmon were two others. It doesn’t really matter the name on the back of the jersey, though. Head coach Erik Spoelstra knew guys were going to have to step up with Jimmy Butler (tailbone), Bam Adebayo (thumb), and Tyler Herro (quadriceps) all out.
“We knew guys were going to have to step up,” Spolestra said. “We didn’t necessarily know who the X-Factors would be. Our full roster is basically playing right now.”
Duncan Robinson is in rhythm early 🎯
Spoelstra gave Robinson the green light all night, too. He let 11 three-pointers fly and hit four timely ones.
“We really needed his trigger,” Robinson said. “He was rolling in the first half, but it was more than just that. It was moving their defense and creating some overreactions, creating some plays where they had to trap and play out of rotations.”
Next Up, Orlando Magic
Spoelstra’s squad returns to the court on Friday, December 17 at 7 p.m. on the road against the Orlando Magic. Robinson called them “resilient” after the victory in Philly and they’ll need more resilience to stay afloat in the standings, at least until the cavalry returns from injury. The Heat currently own the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference with a 17-12 record.
Back in the Sunshine State for game 3 of this road trip 😎