NBA
Portland’s Matisse Thybulle had thumb surgery and will miss 4-6 weeks due to injury
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated47 minutes ago on November 03, 2025
Despite some off-court issues involving Chauncey Billups, the Trail Blazers have not let the outside noise affect them. Interim head coach Tiago Splitter has Portland playing at a high level to start the 2025-26 season.
Through their first six games, the Trail Blazers are 4-2 and have won three straight. Portland is home on Monday, November 3, to face the Los Angeles Lakers. The team will be without backup guard/forward Matisse Thybulle. He suffered a “tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the left thumb” last Wednesday. Two days later, Thybulle had surgery on his thumb and is set to miss four to six weeks, according to league insiders.
Matisse Thybulle will miss four to six weeks due to a thumb injury
Matisse Thybulle injured his left thumb during Wednesday’s game at Utah.
A subsequent MRI conducted Thursday revealed a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the left thumb.
Thybulle underwent successful surgery this morning and will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks. pic.twitter.com/UijJ5hzIfK
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 31, 2025
In the 2019 NBA draft, the 76ers traded up to acquire Matisse Thybulle with the 20th overall pick out of Washington. Thybulle spent the first four and a half seasons of his career with Philadelphia. He played in 245 games and made 78 starts for the 76ers. Thybulle averaged 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. At the 2022-23 deadline, the Sixers traded Matisse Thybulle to the Trail Blazers. That was part of a larger three-team deal involving the 76ers, Hornets, and Trail Blazers.
Over four seasons, Matisse Thybulle has appeared in 104 games for the Blazers and made 46 starts. The 28-year-old played in just 15 games for Portland during the 2024-25 season. Thybulle averaged 20.8 minutes per game during those 15 appearances. In 2025-26, Matisse Thybulle was averaging 12.3 minutes per game before the injury. His role has continued to decrease over time in Portland.
One day, the Portland Trail Blazers will have Matisse Thybulle and Robert Williams healthy at the same time and their defense will be even more incredible.
— David MacKay (@DavidMacKayNBA) November 1, 2025
Last Wednesday, the Blazers were on the road to face the Jazz. Portland won the game 136-134, but Matise Thybulle suffered a thumb injury in the first quarter. He did not return to the game and had to have an MRI on Thursday. Tests revealed that Thybulle suffered a “tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the left thumb.” NBA insiders reported that Thybulle will miss four to six weeks due to the injury.
His surgery was performed by Steven S. Shin, MD, at the Cedars Sinai/Kerlan-Jobe Surgery Center in Los Angeles, California. Matisse Thybulle is on an expiring $11.5 million deal in 2025-26. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent this offseason unless Portland re-signs him. In positive injury news, big man Robert Williams made his season debut on Friday vs. the Nuggets. Portland is home on Monday, November 3, to face the Los Angeles Lakers.
