Bennedict Mathurin continues his impressive rookie season with 18-point quarter, 30-point game vs Denver Nuggets
INDIANAPOLIS — "No."
That's all Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton had to say when he was asked if anything rookie Bennedict Mathurin does surprises him. That came after a game on Wednesday night in which Mathurin scored 30 points, including 18 in the second quarter alone.
For many players, that's a career night. For some, that's a surprising performance. For Mathurin, it was neither. He's been doing this all year. He already has eclipsed 25 points in a game four times, and he's had several big quarters. He has a unique ability to crush defenses for entire frames, and his second quarter performance was just another instance of that. Indiana nearly pulled off the upset over a strong Denver team, and Mathurin's second quarter was a big reason why.
"I step [into] every game with the same confidence," Mathurin said after the game. He needed to be confident as the Pacers were going against back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic that night. Mathurin's scoring forced Nuggets head coach Michael Malone to put Jokic into the game earlier than he normally does in the second frame, and Jokic ended up in foul trouble. The Pacers' rookie changed the game in many ways with his hot shooting.
And the shots he nailed were impressive. He drilled a floater to open his scoring in the quarter, then two pull-up threes. He found space from beyond the arc even with more defensive attention as the quarter progressed. And then, to finish off his brilliant stretch, he threw down a transition dunk. It was an electric portion of play, and he received an ovation when he checked out of the game.
When halftime rolled around, Mathurin had 23 points on 8/10 shooting. Nobody on the Nuggets had an answer for his scoring.
"The way the defense was playing me, having my teammates trust in me to take those shots. Staying locked in, pretty much just making shots and playing with my team," Mathurin said of his big quarter and what contributed to it. He looked hot early in the frame and never slowed down.
Adding to the list of reasons Mathurin's performance on Wednesday was impressive — it came on the heels of his worst game as a pro. On Monday, he finished with just eight points against the New Orleans Pelicans, his only single-digit point game so far. He hit just two shots in the game.
Two nights later, he erupted for 30. At every turn, Mathurin shows that he is confident and fearless, and he reminded everyone of that with his explosion on Wednesday. He said it meant more to him to have such a productive night right after his worst NBA game.
"I wanted to bounce back," he said.
By game's end, Mathurin had 30 points, two rebounds, and one steal. Indiana outscored Denver by five in his 24:42 of playing time. It was one of the better performances from a rookie in the NBA this season, and another reminder for fans that Mathurin might be great one day.
"He's a killer. I love it, man. I love it, just to see him doing his thing, especially as a teammate," Isaiah Jackson said after the game. "After he hit the first three, I already knew it was going to be a long night for them... he had the hot hand."
Bennedict Mathurin is now averaging 20.4 points per game through 11 games. He's hit 46% of his shots so far this season and is a tough cover for NBA defenses. He will look to build off of his second-ever 30+ point game on Saturday at home against the Toronto Raptors.
- The Pacers are still considered the most likely team to make a Russell Westbrook trade as Myles Turner comments on the Lakers rumors. CLICK HERE. For Myles Turner's reaction to the response to his comments, CLICK HERE.
- AllPacers chats one-on-one with former Indiana Pacers forward Justin Anderson. Exclusive interview here: CLICK HERE.
- Jalen Smith's former coach and teammate explain how he has grown from the Phoenix Suns to the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE.
- Indiana Pacers mock trade review: Checking out four deals from Bleacher Report. CLICK HERE.
- Follow AllPacers on Facebook: All Pacers SI
- Follow on Twitter: @SIPacers
