For nearly 10 days, Benedict Mathurin was sidelined because of his toes. He made his return against the Toronto Raptors, where the Clippers won by a mile. In the post-game interview, Mathurin cited the injury as the reason for his poor three-point shooting since the trade deadline, which is concerning, as he was forcing himself to play.
Bennedict Mathurin on his toe injury: "It definitely had an impact on my shot. Every shot was short because I wasn't pushing on that toe."
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) March 26, 2026
For reference, Mathurin shot 37.2% from beyond the arc as an Indiana Pacer, a number above the league average, to just 18.3% (before win vs. Raptors) with the Clippers.
Now that Mathurin has taken some time off to heal, the hope is that his body can withstand the pressure that will arise the rest of the way. The playoffs won’t be easy, and the Clippers certainly need their lead sixth man to be effective from a distance.
The good news is that Benedict Mathurin was not in a shooting slump
Though it did not seem like it, with how confident his movements and shots were on all three levels, there was a chance Bennedict Mathurin was facing basketball’s mental challenges, and this is why he couldn’t buy a bucket from deep, even if he wanted to.
Nothing was adding up; how could a player go from a three-point clip close to 40% to under 20% right as he switched teams? The assumption that the trade, which was the first of his career, affected him in certain aspects more than others.
This is common and understandable in Mathurin’s case, and the fans just remained optimistic that he would find his jumper before the postseason. If not, this is a disadvantage that could take the Clippers out of a series.
However, Mathurin returned to the court, posted 23 points, six rebounds, and four assists, and then made the fans aware that being unable to apply pressure on his toes was the issue, not a slump.
Additionally, for what it’s worth, Mathurin drilled a promising three against the Toronto Raptors. His mechanics looked solid, there was no hesitation, and the landing was soft. This is a great sight, and most importantly, he did not appear to be in any pain.
As the season comes to a close, there will be an eye on Mathurin. Fans want to be sure his health is in good standing and that he is not making a mistake that will hurt him in the long run, like suiting up on an injury that could cost him millions in the summer.