Bennedict Mathurin Takes First Step Toward Much-Needed Change in His Game

When looking at the box score of the LA Clippers' win over the Kings on Sunday night, Bennedict Mathurin's game certainly doesn't stand out. Despite playing over 27 minutes, the second-highest number on the team, Mathurin had only four field goal attempts and five points. He didn't go to the free-throw line once. For a player whose calling card is dynamic scoring, especially through the charity stripe, that could suggest a poor game.

In reality, it was arguably the best game Mathurin has played since arriving in LA at the trade deadline.

Despite Only Scoring 5 Points, Mathurin Just Had His Best Game as a Clipper

Mathurin is a scorer first and foremost. That is the skill that is going to have teams interested in him in free agency this summer. Yet, it is everything else that is going to get him paid. An offense-first shooting guard that does little else outside of scoring is not very valuable in today's NBA. For the first time since becoming a Clipper, Mathurin showed an interest in other aspects of the game on Sunday.

The 23-year-old shooting guard has had more turnovers than assists in each of his last four games before Sunday. Before the Sacramento game, Mathurin was averaging the same number of turnovers as assists for the season. This is as bad as it gets for any high-usage perimeter player, highlighting the massive passing and playmaking improvement he needs to make.

Against the Kings, Mathurin was a much more willing passer. Instead of driving headfirst to the basket with the hope of getting fouled or finishing in traffic, Mathurin kept the ball moving. His drive-and-kick game was as good as it has been in a Clippers uniform, resulting in five assists and several more secondary assists. He also finished the game with only two turnovers.

Mathurin will always be a score-first player. It's hard to change a player's mindset entirely. That is also what makes him Bennedict Mathurin. Instead, he needs to learn to pick his spots. If the team is shooting well and humming on offense like it was last night, Mathurin needs to fit into that ecosystem rather than trying to look for his own shot. He did an excellent job of that in Sacramento, but it needs to continue for Mathurin to earn himself a big payday in the offseason.

The former Pacer is still only 23 years old. With some tweaks in his game, Mathurin could turn into a high-level offensive player. The fact that he was willing to listen and adapt his game is an excellent sign for his moldability. Let's hope that this continues to be the case for the rest of the season and beyond.