The Indiana Pacers didn’t give Bennedict Mathurin a rookie extension this summer. His performance in their season opener may make them wish they had. Mathurin scored a team-high 36 points in Thursday’s 141-135 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in double overtime. It was an NBA Finals rematch, but the Pacers didn’t have Myles Turner or the injured T.J. McConnell and Tyrese Haliburton back from last year’s team. After Andrew Nembhard left the game in the first half with a sore shoulder, that meant the scoring burden fell heavily on Pascal Siakam (32 points) and Mathurin. Mathurin was the No. 6 pick in the 2022 draft, but did not receive a rookie extension from his team before Monday’s deadline. In part, that’s because the Pacers aren’t sure what they have with Mathurin, or how he fits on their team going forward. In part, that’s because Mathurin can be inconsistent. He had a 27-point game and a 24-point game in the NBA Finals — along with a two-point game and a five-point game. Sometimes Mathurin’s ability tRead More
Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin starts strong in crossroads season
