Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Crashes back to earth in loss
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Mathurin supplied eight points (1-2 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-8 FT), two rebounds and one block in 14 minutes during Friday's 111-104 loss to the Thunder in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Mathurin couldn't repeat his heroics from Game 3, stringing together arguably the worst 60 seconds of his career as the Pacers squandered what could have been a series-defining lead. Mathurin committed two dead-ball fouls while also going 1-of-4 from the line down the stretch. Aaron Nesmith fouled out in the dying stages, and Rick Carlisle opted to go with Mathurin as opposed to T.J. McConnell, who was seemingly having more of a positive impact on the game. With the series now level at 2-2, Indiana will look to wrestle back control when the two teams meet again Monday.
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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.
Mathurin finished with 23 points (6-10 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 9-9 FT) and nine rebounds over 25 minutes during Thursday's 111-94 loss to the Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Mathurin tallied at least 20 points for the second straight game, albeit in a losing effort. Before his two most recent performances, Mathurin had been struggling to have any tangible impact, totaling just 15 points over the previous five games. The Pacers still lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 scheduled for Saturday in Indiana.
Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin: Another disappointing performance
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Mathurin racked up two points (0-1 FG, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and two assists over eight minutes during Sunday's 106-100 loss to the Knicks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Mathurin continues to struggle, having now scored single digits in five straight postseason appearances. In fact, during what has been a particularly underwhelming stretch, Mathurin scored just 15 points during that span, nine of which came during the Game 1 victory against the Knicks. Indiana still leads the series 2-1, but will need more from Mathurin moving forward. Given his lack of production over the past five games, he has become almost unplayable at times.
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.
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: Won't play in Game 4
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Mathurin (abdomen) has been ruled out for Sunday's Game 4 matchup against the Bucks, Tony East of WTHR Channel 13 Indianapolis reports.
After playing in the first three games of this first-round series, Mathurin will be sidelined Sunday due to an abdominal contusion. The Pacers will likely lean on Ben Sheppard, Aaron Nesmith and Johnny Furphy to help shoulder the load in Game 4.
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