{"id":455824,"date":"2025-12-18T15:40:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T15:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/455824\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T15:40:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T15:40:15","slug":"bennedict-mathurin-is-reaching-new-heights-this-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/455824\/","title":{"rendered":"Bennedict Mathurin is reaching new heights this season"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bennedict<\/p>\n

Bennedict Mathurin is averaging career highs in scoring, rebounding and assists per game in 2025-26.<\/p>\n

\u201cStat Just Happened\u201d is where one number tells the whole story \u2014 and the film fills in the rest.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s number is 98.1.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s Bennedict Mathurin\u2019s percentile as a pick-and-roll ball handler, per NBA.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When you stack him next to the league\u2019s best, you start to see why Indiana\u2019s half-court offense might not be as lost as it looked.<\/p>\n\n\nPossessions<\/b><\/td>\nFrequency<\/strong><\/td>\nPoints Per Poss.<\/strong><\/td>\nPercentile<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nBennedict Mathurin<\/strong><\/td>\n4.8<\/td>\n25.3%<\/td>\n1.33<\/td>\n98.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nShai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/strong><\/td>\n9.9<\/td>\n39.2%<\/td>\n1.21<\/td>\n93.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nAnthony Edwards<\/strong><\/td>\n5.7<\/td>\n23.4%<\/td>\n1.14<\/td>\n88.7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nLuka Doncic\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n12.9<\/td>\n38.7<\/td>\n1.09<\/td>\n83.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nDonovan Mitchell<\/strong><\/td>\n9.8<\/td>\n36.2%<\/td>\n1.03<\/td>\n79.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

A season ago, the Pacers were one of the league\u2019s most efficient screen-and-roll teams, which makes sense as the ball was in the hands of one of the league\u2019s most adept decision makers: Tyrese Haliburton.<\/p>\n

Haliburton ranked in the 95.5th percentile a season<\/a> ago, serving as the ball handler in pick-and-roll situations. Knowing they\u2019d be without their superstar this season, Indiana could\u2019ve been left with a major offensive hole in their half-court playbook.<\/p>\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

While Mathurin hasn\u2019t replaced Haliburton\u2019s production, of course, the Pacers have been solid with the ball in his hands. Since recovering from a toe injury that kept him out of the lineup for 11 games, Mathurin has returned and orchestrated Indiana\u2019s two-man game as well as Haliburton did last season.<\/p>\n\nSeason<\/strong><\/td>\nPlayer<\/strong><\/td>\nPossessions<\/strong><\/td>\nFrequency<\/strong><\/td>\nPoints Per Poss<\/strong><\/td>\nPercentile<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2025-26<\/td>\nBennedict Mathurin<\/td>\n4.8<\/td>\n25.3%<\/td>\n1.33<\/td>\n98.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2024-25<\/td>\nTyrese Haliburton<\/td>\n6.4<\/td>\n38.4%<\/td>\n1.11<\/td>\n95.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Haliburton\u2019s play last season helped power a top-10 offense<\/a> for the Pacers. They aren\u2019t quite there yet this season, but with Mathurin back in the lineup, there are signs of progression.<\/p>\n

Over the last 10 games, the Pacers are scoring at a rate of 111.8 points per 100 possessions<\/a>. That\u2019s up from their overall number this season (108.2), which ranks 30th.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aside from how well he\u2019s operating in screen and roll situations, Mathurin, 23, is enjoying a career-best season: 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 41.1% on 3-pointers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Highlights from Bennedict Mathurin 25-point game<\/p>\n

Take away any team\u2019s No. 1 option, and their offense is going to wobble. But Indiana doesn\u2019t need Mathurin to replace Haliburton. They need him to steady possessions and punish the coverage that used to funnel elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Since the Pacers get 16.8% of their offense from pick-and-roll ball-handler reps, that matters.<\/p>\n

Because when Mathurin turns those actions into efficient points, the floor stops shrinking.<\/p>\n