Bennedict Mathurin reminds everyone what he can be for the Indiana Pacers

DETROIT – The Indiana Pacers lost guard Bennedict Mathurin to an injury late last season. The Pacers beat the Dallas Mavericks in early March and Mathurin had a solid performance. But he suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder — his shooting shoulder — that night. He didn't play again in 2023/24.

That kept the young ballplayer from missing his team's first winning season. He was also absent in the postseason and Indiana made a run. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals as Mathurin rehabilitated, and while the team had success, they lacked Mathurin's dynamic abilities.

“I find [Mathurin] “I saw what it takes to play the way we really want to play, what it takes to be successful in the playoffs,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said a few weeks ago. He added that Mathurin absorbed all of that information and processed it in the offseason. “I think you’ll see a different side of him this year, really playing and adapting to the way we play.”

Mathurin still associates his game with the Pacers' unique way of working. But he's a low-turnover ballhandler who can get to the rim with ease and make plays in a slowed-down environment. That's the makeup of a player that could add value in the playoffs. And the Pacers happened to be playing two teams that Mathurin had success against during the regular season in Milwaukee and New York.

Indiana found ways to win two runs, but their young ball-handler was missing. He is an emerging talent as a scorer and attacker – the Pacers had to look elsewhere for those skills in the final two months of the 2023-24 season.

Mathurin returned to action in Detroit on Wednesday evening. The Pacers opened the season against the Pistons and it was Mathurin's first game of consequence since March 5. It had been 232 days since he last hit the hardwood.

Viewers couldn't tell. The Arizona product looked as good as ever. Mathurin was great in the fourth quarter, changing the game with his ability to make shots and pump energy into an otherwise weak Pacers offense. Indiana trailed by eight with 10:38 to play, but was able to secure a win thanks to Mathurin. When he returned, he didn't miss a moment.

“Performance? To be honest, I don't really care. I'm just happy that we got the win,” said Mathurin when asked if it meant anything to have a strong performance in Detroit after such a long break. This Attitude is important, but without his play the team wouldn't have won.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Mathurin had five points. His head coach Rick Carlisle said the young guard was removed from the game after some tough defensive moments early in the second half. Up to this point, it's been a mediocre evening for the 2022 lottery.

He owned the fourth quarter. Mathurin made three foul shots in the first minute of the frame, and his ability to get to the free throw line is one of the reasons he is so special. In retrospect, perhaps that should have been a signal of special things to come.

Less than two minutes later, the 22-year-old received another shot from the foul line. 19 seconds went by and he embarrassed Jaden Ivey with a stepback jumper. He scored six points in about three minutes early in the fourth quarter, and the Pacers were now only two points behind.

That was just the beginning. With seven minutes left, Mathurin sank another jumper, giving Indiana a lead. That lead felt tenuous until the shooting guard hit a crucial three-pointer with 2:55 left to play that extended his team's lead to four. The Pacers finally had some breathing room, and Mathurin created almost all of it.

“Time of the game,” Mathurin said when asked what changed for him in the final frame. “I just keep the game simple. I know it's the fourth quarter. We have to run. I need to get a different perspective on the game. Then I thrive.”

He would go on to score two more points as the Pacers erased a double-digit deficit to earn their first win of the season. Mathurin's move late in the game made everything possible.

In the fourth quarter alone, the young ballplayer scored 14 points, two rebounds and one assist. He played the entire frame and Indiana beat Detroit 33:19 during this period. Mathurin shot nine free throws in the quarter – his ability to reach the charity stripe has always been near elite.

“[Bennedict] Mathurin was great in this game. He just has that attitude as an attacker and as a scorer,” Carlisle said during that post-match press conference. “I thought defensively he got better and better as the game went on.”

Mathurin finished the game with 19 points and six rebounds. Without him, Indiana almost certainly wouldn't have won. The most important takeaway going forward is that the young security guard reminded everyone who he is.

Even on an evening when Mathurin was out for an extended period, he was able to take over the game with his offensive firepower. When a fight slows down, it blossoms. For an Indiana team that tries to play fast and constantly keep the ball moving, this change of pace can be valuable.

For Mathurin, the next step is consistency. He's seen his team make the postseason without him, and it's his job to fit into that system. The key is to move the ball, defend and make quick decisions.

But he must also combine these improvements with the talents that make him a top player. The third-year pro, who is eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension next offseason, showed how he can do that on nights when the Pacers are slowed for much of the game.

“Be myself. I work hard, I was out for a minute. So the most important thing for me is to get back into the team,” he said of what he focuses on when the game slows down and the defense focuses on him. “I'm not trying to turn people around and say, 'I'm back.' I’m just making sure my teammates know I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

Mathurin certainly did that on Wednesday. The Indiana Pacers are 1-0 and their young guard helped everyone remember exactly who he is and secured the win.