Indiana Pacers rookie and Montreal native Bennedict Mathurin is turning heads with an explosive preseason. In just three games, Mathurin is leading the Pacers in points per game with a tick over 20.
In his Pacers preseason debut, Mathurin dropped 15 points with four out of his five made buckets coming from within three feet of the basket.
Mathurin’s performance in his second game was even better, putting up 19 points, five rebounds, and a steal in just 18 minutes off the bench in a loss to the New York Knicks. He shot 7-for-15 and drained two of his three 3-point attempts.
Mathurin exploded in his third game, dropping 27 points, making eight of his 13 shots and hitting 11 of his 12 free throws. Mathurin, along with fellow Canadian rookie Andrew Nembhard, led the Pacers to a comeback victory in a rematch against the New York Knicks, closing out the fourth quarter on a 24-6 run. He also made the highlight reels with this windmill dunk.
He even got some love from ESPN SportsCenter.
“He has been consistent in terms of his ability to get into the paint, make open shots and make plays. I love his approach. He is a young guy that’s just 20 years old but very mature, very professional in how he goes about his business; very coachable. He wants to be as good as he can be. He wants to be great. An encouraging first two games if you’re just looking at his performance offensively,” head coach Rick Carlisle told Yahoo Sports.
Mathurin exploded in his third game, dropping 27 points, making eight of his 13 shots and hitting 11 of his 12 free throws. Mathurin, along with fellow Canadian rookie Andrew Nembhard, led the Pacers to a comeback victory in a rematch against the New York Knicks, closing out the fourth quarter on a 24-6 run.
“The fans were really hyped up,” Mathurin said to Pacers.com. “It’s preseason, but it counts as a game for me. It was pretty amazing. First game in (Gainbridge Fieldhouse), it was a dub. I’m pretty excited for the next game.”
Mathurin was drafted sixth overall by the Indiana Pacers, the highest-selected Canadian on the draft board. The next pick, Shaedon Sharpe, selected by the Portland Trail Blazers, is also Canadian.
