INGLEWOOD, California (AP) — Bennedict Mathurin scored 38 points in his Los Angeles Clippers home debut, leading the team to a 115-114 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. Jamal Murray’s potential game-tying free throw with 0.9 seconds remaining missed, securing the win for the Clippers.
Mathurin, recently acquired from the Indiana Pacers at the trade deadline, was 12-for-22 from the field. His performance marked a significant contribution in just his third game as a Clipper, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Clippers have now improved to 21-7 since December 20, a record bolstered by Mathurin’s arrival.
Kawhi Leonard added 23 points for the Clippers, whereas Derrick Jones Jr. Contributed 22. The Clippers’ win came after both teams had returned from the All-Star break.
For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic led with 22 points and 17 rebounds. Jamal Murray scored 20 points, with Bruce Brown and Cam Johnson each adding 19 and 18 points respectively. Denver was playing without Aaron Gordon, who has missed the last ten games due to a hamstring injury, and Peyton Watson, sidelined for the past four games with a similar injury.
The game was closely contested, with Murray having an opportunity to tie the score with three free throws after being fouled by Jones Jr. Murray made the first two, but his third attempt fell short, ending the game. Mathurin’s performance included 5 rebounds and 4 assists, according to NBA.com.
Mathurin, a 23-year-old guard-forward from Canada, is in his third NBA season. He was originally drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft as the 6th overall pick. In his last game prior to Thursday, Mathurin recorded 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 3 steals against the Houston Rockets on February 11, 2026.
Prior to Thursday’s game, Mathurin was ruled out for games against the Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves on February 6th and 7th, respectively, as trade details were being finalized, according to reports. He was available to play against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, February 9th, and scored nine points with seven rebounds and four assists in that contest.
The Clippers are scheduled to play their next game on February 22nd against the Phoenix Suns.
