Bennedict Mathurin Forcing Ty Lue to Make Starting Lineup Change

Do the Clippers need to insert Mathurin into the starting lineup after Darius Garland's return?

Feb 11, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin (9) reacts to no call while playing against the Houston Rockets in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

While Bennedict Mathurin has begun his tenure with the LA Clippers off the bench, his impact on the court may soon warrant him a starting role in Tyronn Lue’s lineup. 

After arriving in Inglewood alongside Isaiah Jackson and draft capital in the Ivica Zubac trade in February, the former Indiana Pacer wasted no time making his presence felt in the Clippers rotation. 

In a season already marred with question marks, James Harden opted for a trade to Cleveland in search of greener pastures. While Harden’s exit was met with neutrality, trading Zubac – who has been the heart and soul of the paint – had Clippers fans crying foul at the front office. 

However, the educated patrons understood the tradeoff and are now seeing the fruits of the front office’s decision-making, at least for now. In Mathurin’s first seven appearances as a Clipper, he had made a loud impression, averaging just north of 30 minutes per game. 

The 23-year-old’s productivity is undeniable, clocking in impressive numbers with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Mathurin also announced his arrival with a 38-point explosion off the bench in a narrow win over the Denver Nuggets in his second outing with the Clips. He also parlayed his scoring with five boards, four dimes, and three steals to steer the ship toward a 115-114 win in his first home game at the Intuit Dome.

His numbers have decreased, tallying 14 and nine points in the Clippers' last two games -- a loss to Minnesota and a win over New Orleans -- respectively.

With a small sample size to work with, do his performances make a convincing case for the Arizona product to start alongside Kawhi Leonard and others?

Bennedict Mathurin put on a show in his first home game with the Clippers 🔥

38 PTS (ties career-high)
5 REB
4 AST
3 STL

He surpassed Paul George (37 PTS on Nov. 16, 2019) for the most points by a player in a Clippers home debut! pic.twitter.com/GFtFqlqUaJ

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2026

Bennedict Mathurin Is Making His Best Case to Start

Lue has given Mathurin the starting nod in Leonard's absence in the loss to Minnesota, where, besides his 14 points, the new Clippers ace contributed six boards. His most important performances came when he began games on the bench before clocking in rigorous 15-minute stretches to meet his half-hour quota.

Since Mathurin's arrival, Lue has stuck to a familiar lineup with defensive ace Kris Dunn often running the backcourt alongside Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, and Derrick Jones Jr. in the frontcourt and Brook Lopez manning the paint.

Against Minnesota, Mathurin started alongside Dunn, Jones, Lopez, and Nicholas Batum while The Claw nursed an ankle soreness. When Leonard is healthy, and Mathurin is in form, the question becomes: who does the latter replace in the starting lineup?

The easiest answer would be for Dunn to take a seat and make way for Mathurin. However, the team cannot afford his absence due to the value of his defensive work, which is a refined version of Patrick Beverley's work for the Clippers of yesteryear.

Does Lue then give up size by sidelining Collins or Jones to insert Mathurin in the lineup? Another factor to consider is Darius Garland's return. Joining the Clippers from Cleveland, the former Vanderbilt star hopes to resume his 18-point, seven-assist mean with the Clippers, sitting out since mid-January.

Do the Clippers eliminate Lopez from the lineup and run a small-ball operation to maximize their well-balanced guards and forwards? The puzzle continues to grow with more pieces trying to fit in the picture.

Mathurin brings the postseason and NBA Finals experience from last year, helping the Pacers on their rampant run through the East before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.

Averaging a reliable 11 points and 3.3 rebounds in the playoffs, Mathurin has raised the value he brings to the futile potential of the Clippers. At one point, Lue's unit was the hottest ticket in the NBA behind the Chris Paul trade. Unfortunately, like every Clippers campaign, fans are treated to another rollercoaster of emotions in the latter end of the season.

Sitting ninth in the Western Conference with a 28-31 record, the Clippers have to once again restructure their talent to produce results. With 23 games left to get out of Play-In territory, the Clippers will take on the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors on Monday night.