Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin Making Case for Major Hardware This Season

The forward has shown that he could win one major award at the end of the season.

Dec 31, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) celebrates a made basket in the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers have had to undergo a lot of lineup changes this season. They have had to go without Aaron Nesmith, their starting small-forward, for 28 games now. He sprained his ankle just six games into the season. Losing him means the Pacers have lost one of their best three-point shooters and their best perimeter defender.

Nesmith is a key member of the Pacers team. They have had to move Bennedict Mathurin into the starting lineup because of Nesmith's injury. Mathurin has shown the ability to be one of the best scorers off the bench in the NBA. But now, he's had to be a starter for most of the season.

Even though Nesmith has no timetable to return, he is getting healthier with every passing day. He will likely return within the next month. That would mean that Mathurin would move back to the bench. That would make him eligible to possibly win the Sixth Man of the Year.

Mathurin would have a pretty good case for the award. So far this season, he's averaging a career-high 16.8 points per game on 46% shooting, which is also a career-best. Mathurin also is shooting 37% from three and is averaging a career-high 6.2 rebounds per game.

If Mathurin moves back to the bench soon, he will have most of his games played off the bench. That would make him eligible for this award. But if Nesmith isn't able to return for quite a while, Mathurin will continue to start and that would mean he is no longer eligible to win Sixth Man of the Year.

Even once Mathurin does move back to the bench, he is one of the best scorers in the league off the bench. He's also one of the few players that the Pacers have who can score off the bench by creating their own shot. He's someone who can create his own shot off the dribble.

The Pacers brought back most of the same team from last season because they liked how this unit played together on their run to the Eastern Conference Finals. After that run, the organization really liked how the guys meshed together, including Mathurin.

Mathurin has been a key piece off the bench ever since he was drafted sixth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. Indiana still really likes what he brings to the team.

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