Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Scores 21 points in loss
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Mathurin chipped in 21 points (7-15 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 5-5 FT), seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 37 minutes during Friday's 120-109 loss to the Cavaliers.
Mathurin missed 11 games due to a toe injury, but he hasn't shown any ill effects of that problem since returning to the court in a 127-112 loss to the Pistons on Monday. Mathurin has scored at least 20 points in his three games since returning to the hardwood while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from three in that span. Expect Mathurin to remain one of the Pacers' go-to scoring weapons as long as he stays healthy.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Double-doubles in victory
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Mathurin amassed 24 points (7-13 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 8-9 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and one steal across 34 minutes in Wednesday's 127-119 win over the Hornets.
Mathurin delivered an efficient performance, posting a team-high 24 points in his second straight appearance following an 11-game absence due to a right big toe sprain. He also grabbed a game-high-tying 12 rebounds en route to his second double-double through four regular-season appearances. Mathurin has yet to score fewer than 24 points this season and is expected to continue seeing plenty of looks on an injury-riddled Pacers squad.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Nets 25 points in return
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Mathurin (toe) notched 25 points (7-16 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 8-14 FT), three rebounds, two assists and one steal across 25 minutes during Monday's 127-112 loss to the Pistons.
Mathurin got off to a slow start in his return from an 11-game absence due to a right big toe sprain, scoring just two points while missing all three of his field-goal attempts in the first half. However, he completely flipped the script after halftime and had the hot hand during the fourth quarter. On a 1-13 Pacers team that's desperate for offense, Mathurin -- so long as health prevails -- should have a strong chance at soaring past his previous career-high usage rate of 24.9 percent he established as a rookie in 2022-23. Through his first three appearances this season, Mathurin has handled a 30.2 percent usage rate.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Cleared to play Monday
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Mathurin (toe) is available for Monday's game against the Pistons.
Mathurin will shed his questionable tag and return from an 11-game absence due to a sprained right toe. It wouldn't be surprising to see the 23-year-old swingman operate under a minutes restriction Monday, and his return will likely mean less playing time for Ben Sheppard and Taelon Peter. In two regular-season appearances, Mathurin has averaged 31.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 50.0 percent from beyond the arc in 36.5 minutes per contest.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Not ready to return yet
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Mathurin (toe) is not ready to return yet but is "getting close," head coach Rick Carlisle told Alex Golden of the 'Setting the Pace' podcast. "He's moving in a good direction," Carlisle said.
Carlisle also added that Mathurin participated in a simulated game Saturday, so it seems the Pacers believe he'll be ready to return in the near future. Mathurin's next chance to play will come Monday against the Raptors, and Indiana is expected to provide an update on his status by Sunday night.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Listed out for Saturday
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Mathurin (toe) is out for Saturday's game against Toronto.
Mathurin remains without a clear timeline for a return due to a toe sprain. The swingman can be tentatively deemed doubtful for Monday's tilt against Detroit. Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker should remain viable streaming candidates until the Pacers get healthier.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Remaining out vs. Denver
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Mathurin (toe) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Nuggets.
While there's no concrete timetable for Mathurin's return to game action, head coach Rick Carlisle said Oct. 28 that he can be considered week-to-week. Until the 23-year-old swingman returns, Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker will likely continue seeing increased minutes.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Considered week-to-week
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Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Tuesday that Mathurin (toe) is considered week-to-week, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports.
The bad news continues to pile up for Indiana. In addition to Mathurin being out, Obi Toppin (hamstring) is expected to miss at least a month. With Mathurin nursing a right hamstring issue, the Pacers could really rely on Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith in the short term. RayJ Dennis is also coming off the best game of his career and is worth monitoring in deeper formats.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Ruled out Sunday
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Mathurin (foot) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Timberwolves, Jeremiah Johnson of FanDuel Sports Network Indiana reports.
Mathurin won't play in the second half of Indiana's back-to-back set after suffering a right great toe sprain during Saturday's loss in Memphis. Andrew Nembhard (shoulder), T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Johnny Furphy (foot) and Taelon Peter (groin) are all sidelined, not to mention Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) is out for the entire campaign. The Pacers' depth will be tested early on this season, with RayJ Dennis, Ben Sheppard, Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker ready to step up.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Won't return Saturday
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Mathurin won't return to Saturday's game against the Grizzlies due to right foot soreness, Scott Agness of FieldhouseFiles.com reports.
Mathurin exited to the locker room in the third quarter and was ruled out shortly thereafter. He'll finish with 26 points (8-12 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 8-9 FT), four assists and three rebounds in 28 minutes. With the 23-year-old sidelined, RayJ Dennis and Jarace Walker are candidates for a bump in minutes the rest of the way. Mathurin's status will be worth monitoring ahead of Sunday's game against Minnesota.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Plays well in Game 7 defeat
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Mathurin amassed 24 points (6-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 10-10 FT), 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals across 33 minutes during Sunday's 103-91 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Mathurin's production was all over the place in the postseason, though he certainly had his moments. With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined by an Achilles tear, the Pacers may bank on Mathurin taking a leap in 2025-26 with so much usage up for grabs. During the 2024-25 regular season, Mathurin appeared in 72 games and produced 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.4 three-pointers on 45.8 percent shooting from the field.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Pours in 27 points in Game 3 win
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Mathurin registered 27 points (9-12 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 7-8 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one block across 22 minutes during Wednesday's 116-107 victory over the Thunder in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
After a standout performance in Game 2 with 14 points, Mathurin kept his foot on the gas in Game 3, leading all scorers in this contest. He also made a bit of history in the process, becoming the first player in NBA history to put up 25 or more points in the Finals in under 23 minutes. The Pacers will carry a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 on Friday.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Puts up 14 points in loss
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Mathurin recorded 14 points (4-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-7 FT), two rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes during Sunday's 123-107 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Mathurin, who scored a combined nine points in his previous two outings, was a bright spot in Sunday's loss for Indiana. He's been used pretty sparingly in the postseason with averages of 10.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.4 minutes across 17 appearances. However, he may be better suited to make an impact against the Thunder with so many small-ball lineups being utilized.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Ejected during Game 4
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Mathurin was ejected during Sunday's game after being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul against the Cavaliers, Ethan Sands of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Mathurin got into an altercation with Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter in the first quarter of Game 4, resulting in his ejection from the game. The Arizona logged one minute off the bench Sunday, finishing with one rebound before being sent to the locker room.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Goes for 23 points off bench Friday
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Mathurin accumulated 23 points (6-11 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 8-9 FT), one rebound and one steal in 27 minutes during Friday's 126-104 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Tyrese Haliburton had a rough performance Friday, but Mathurin stepped up on offense and was one of the Pacers' best players throughout the game. His intensity certainly gave the Pacers a huge boost every time he was on the floor, but his fantasy upside will remain limited as long as he remains in a bench role.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Pops for 19 points in win
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Mathurin ended Tuesday's 120-119 win over the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with 19 points (6-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 6-6 FT), two rebounds and one assist over 20 minutes.
Mathurin had arguably his best game of the postseason, scoring 19 points as the Pacers somehow stole Game 2 in front of a disappointed Cavaliers crowd. Having appeared in six games during the playoffs, Mathurin's role seemingly changes from one game to the next. With that said, he has scored double-digit points in two of the team's three home games, a trend that he will look to continue Friday.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Limited to 16 minutes
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Mathurin had five points (2-3 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-4 FT), two rebounds, one assist and three steals over 16 minutes during Tuesday's 119-118 overtime win over the Bucks in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
After missing Game 4 due to his abdominal injury, Mathurin returned to a minimal role in Game 5. He did appear to have some words with Giannis Antetokounmpo after the final whistle, but the players were separated before things escalated. With Andrew Nembhard breaking out, Mathurin will have a tough time earning a larger role.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Available for Game 5
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Mathurin (abdomen) has been cleared to play against the Bucks on Tuesday.
After missing Game 4 due to his abdominal injury, Mathurin will be back on the floor Tuesday. The 22-year-old has played in three games during this first-round series, averaging 12.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, shooting 40 percent from the field.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Iffy for Tuesday
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Mathurin (abdomen) is listed as questionable for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Bucks.
Mathurin is in jeopardy of missing his second straight game due to an abdominal contusion. The 22-year-old swingman has made three appearances during the first round, averaging 12.0 points and 3.0 rebounds across 18.7 minutes per contest. If Mathurin remains sidelined, Ben Sheppard will likely see an uptick in playing time.
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Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Questionable for Game 4
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Mathurin is questionable for Game 4 against the Bucks on Sunday due to an abdominal contusion.
Mathurin has played more than 20 minutes in just one of his three appearances in the series, and his playing time has been diminishing with each passing game. Through three games in this first-round matchup, Mathurin is averaging 12.0 points and 3.0 rebounds across 18.7 minutes per game.
