On ‘The Zach Lowe Show, ’ Mo Dakhil, an NBA analyst, made an appearance, and when discussing the LA Clippers, he gave props for trading for Bennedict Mathurin. Dakhil realized the pieces that made the headlines within the package are the Indiana Pacers’ 2026 protected first-round pick and Ivica Zubac. This has led Mathurin to get lost in the shuffle, which shouldn't be happening given how great he’s been.
Dakhil read the mind of every Clippers fan; Not only do Mathurin’s averages for the Clippers, of 19.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, exemplify his dominance, but so does the eye-test.
Mathurin has shown no mercy on the rim, is active as the Clippers could possibly hope on defense, and has taken pride in doing whatever is asked of him, i.e., coming off the bench and/or playing limited minutes.
Bennedict Mathurin was a sneaky-good addition for the Clippers
Most of Mo Dakhil’s argument on how good a pickup Bennedict Mathurin was for the LA Clippers correlated to his offensive prowess. He’s a walking bucket, and whether you like him or not, it’s a fact. But the point that Dakhil made, which stood out, is the 23-year-old’s ability to enter an unconscious heat check.
Mathurin will literally walk his opponents down the floor, look them straight in the eye, and fearlessly enforce an attack, directly into their chest, for a tough, hard-fought bucket. He simply does not care who’s in front of him.
Though he’s already proven himself to be this way on several occasions, the best example Clippers fans will never forget was his first appearance in the Intuit Dome, where he dropped 38 points on the Denver Nuggets, shooting 12-22, in 34 minutes off the bench; one of the coldest performances of the season.
Mathurin helped out Kawhi Leonard tremendously, who had an off shooting night, and ultimately showed with actions, rather than words, why he was more than a throw-in piece of the Ivica Zubac trade, and what his potential is as a third-option, especially when he’s on fire.
Dakhil just said the facts out loud, and he is correct. The Clippers deserve flowers for thoroughly analyzing Mathurin’s Pacers days, as they have already begun reaping the benefits. And with a breakout underway, the question is: how long will it take for everyone to agree with LA fans that he is the steal of the deadline? Because it’ll be made obvious anyway.