Dort, Mathurin families unite for Montreal North community during NBA Finals
MONTREAL - Luguentz Dort and Bennedict Mathurin are going head-to-head on the court — but off it, their families are on the same team.
While Dort's Oklahoma City Thunder battled Mathurin's Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, the players' mothers and sisters watched side by side in Montreal, coming together to celebrate two homegrown talents with deep ties.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Thunder, Pacers tied 1-1 heading to game 3
Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14, first in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (50-32, fourth in the Eastern Conference) Indianapolis; Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -5.5; over/under is 228.5 NBA FINALS: Series tied 1-1 BOTTOM LINE: The Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder are in a 1-1 series tie in the NBA Finals. The Thunder defeated the Pacers 123-107 in the last meeting on Monday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 34 points, and Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 17. The Pacers have gone 29-12 in home games. Indiana is third in the NBA with 29.2 assists per game. Haliburton leads the Pacers averaging 9.2. The Thunder are 32-8 on the road. Oklahoma City has a 54-5 record in games decided by 10 points or more. The Pacers' 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.3 fewer made shots on average than the 13.5 per game the Thunder allow. The Thunder are shooting 48.2% from the field, 0.8% higher than the 47.4% the Pacers' opponents have shot this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Pacers. Haliburton is averaging 19.9 points over the last 10 games. Jalen Williams is scoring 21.6 points per game and averaging 5.3 rebounds for the Thunder. Luguentz Dort is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 7-3, averaging 116.2 points, 39.3 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 7.6 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.7 points per game. Thunder: 7-3, averaging 116.2 points, 41.0 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 11.3 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.9 points. INJURIES: Pacers: Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), Jarace Walker: day to day (ankle). Thunder: Nikola Topic: out for season (acl). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Globe and Mail
8 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Dort, Mathurin families unite for Montreal North during Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals
Luguentz Dort and Bennedict Mathurin are going head-to-head on the court – but off it, their families are on the same team. While Dort's Oklahoma City Thunder battled Mathurin's Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, the players' mothers and sisters watched side by side in Montreal, coming together to celebrate two homegrown talents with deep ties. 'This is about unity,' said Berline Dort, Luguentz's sister. 'It's not about rivalry.' The Mathurin Family Foundation and the Maizon Dort Foundation collaborated for a charity watch party – one of many across the city – at Verdun Auditorium. Basketball moms Erline Mortel (Dort) and Elvie Jeune (Mathurin) sat together and posed for pictures in the arena's viewing area, not long after Dort swiped the ball from Mathurin's hands six minutes into Game 2. 'They came here for a better opportunity. They came here to offer their children a better life,' said Jennifer Mathurin, Bennedict's sister. 'Our families are sitting here, cheering family members in the NBA … it means the world. 'At the end of the day, we're all champions.' Born to Haitian immigrants, Dort and Mathurin grew up blocks away from each other in the rough-and-tumble Montreal North borough, home to one of Canada's largest Haitian populations. Having not one but two players from their neighbourhood on the sport's biggest stage is an inspiration for future hoopers in the community, Jennifer Mathurin said. 'A lot of Haitians play basketball because it's very inexpensive,' she said. 'It gives hope to the next generation. It inspires them to think that, 'Me too, I can get to the highest level.'' A former college baller for NC State, Jennifer Mathurin is now also Bennedict's manager. She flew to Montreal from Oklahoma City after Game 1 just to organize the community event, citing the Haitian motto 'union fait la force,' which translates to 'unity makes strength.' 'It was important for us to show up together, both families, both foundations,' she said. 'It was a no-brainer.' Jennifer Mathurin will be back on a plane Tuesday morning ahead of Wednesday's Game 3 in Indianapolis with the best-of-seven series tied 1-1. Dort and Mathurin – separated by three years – played youth basketball together on the Parc Ex Knights and each honed their craft in the Brookwood Elite AAU basketball program. As Mathurin followed Dort's footsteps through college to the NBA, they only became closer. 'They're very tight, they're proud of each other,' Berline Dort said. 'They just want to uplift each other, and it's like a brotherhood.' The way they impact the game, however, is different. Dort is known for his smothering on-ball defence and locking opponents up in his so-called 'Dorture Chamber.' The 26-year-old swingman – built like a brick wall at six feet four, 220 pounds – went from undrafted to becoming a key starter for the Thunder. Meanwhile, Mathurin was a top prospect in the 2022 NBA draft thanks to his scoring touch and explosive athleticism. When the Pacers selected the six-foot-five, 210-pound guard sixth overall – the highest-ever pick for a Montrealer — Dort was there to support him, despite his own draft nightmare of being passed over in 2019. 'Says a lot about the kind of character Lu is and the relationship he has with Benn,' said Joey McKitterick, who coached both at Brookwood Elite. 'He must have had PTSD from that night, so to go up there and relive it, it says a lot about his selflessness.' When Dort and Mathurin were young teenagers, McKitterick didn't imagine they'd one day meet in the NBA Finals. Only three players who call Montreal home have previously won an NBA title. Bill Wennington won three championships with the Chicago Bulls from 1996 to 1998, Joel Anthony claimed two rings with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, and Chris Boucher captured the Larry O'Brien Trophy with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. Now, Montreal is guaranteed a fourth. 'It's amazing,' said Anthony, the co-owner and general manager of the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Montreal Alliance. 'They've been making everyone proud in the city. 'This is the matchup probably everyone in the city would have wanted.' Dort and Mathurin aren't the only Canadians in the NBA Finals. Hamilton's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – this year's MVP – leads OKC, while Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., features for Indiana. 'Shows tremendous growth in our game, not just that they're on the teams that are in the Finals, but also the roles that they're playing,' said Rowan Barrett, the general manager for Canada's men's basketball team. In Depth: The making of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA's most valuable player Barrett highlighted Dort's defensive task guarding Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, while Mathurin – who's still developing – could help decide games with his scoring off the bench. The basketball talent in Montreal, Barrett said, goes back decades to 1988 Olympians Dwight Walton and Wayne Yearwood, among others. The difference now is that more players are finding a pathway to the NBA. 'There was always talent there. Always,' he said. 'This isn't new, but I do think that more and more of them have gotten into the stream and found the ways to grow their games and be able to make the cultural shift, maybe eventually leaving Montreal, going into the NCAA.' Anthony believes the talent level across the city is reaching new heights – and Dort and Mathurin are just two examples. 'Definitely seen a big boom,' he said. 'Everyone notices when those players are coming in at the highest levels in the NBA, but at lower levels, also at the collegiate level. 'A huge increase in the amount of talent.'
The Province
8 hours ago
- The Province
Game 2: Thunder holds on to big lead, evens NBA Finals
Published Jun 08, 2025 • 2 minute read Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder attempts a layup against Aaron Nesmith of the Indiana Pacers during the third quarter in Game Two of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on June 08, 2025. Photo by William Purnell / Getty Images OKLAHOMA CITY — This has been Oklahoma City's formula all season: Lose one game, respond in the next. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors That's exactly what the Thunder did in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, Alex Caruso added 20 off the bench and the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 123-107 on Sunday night to tie these finals at one game apiece. Jalen Williams scored 19, Aaron Wiggins had 18 and Chet Holmgren finished with 15 for the Thunder. It was the franchise's first finals game win since the opener of the 2012 series against Miami. 'We did some things good tonight. We did some things bad,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'We've got to be able to get better and be ready for Game 3.' Tyrese Haliburton scored 17 for Indiana, which erased a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit in Game 1 but never made a push on Sunday. Myles Turner scored 16 and Pascal Siakam added 15 for the Pacers, the first team since Miami in 2013 to not have a 20-point scorer in the first two games of the finals. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Game 3 is Wednesday at Indianapolis, in what will be the first finals game in that city in 25 years. Gilgeous-Alexander's first basket of the night was a history-maker: It gave him 3,000 points on the season, including the regular season and playoffs. And later in Game 2, he passed New York's Jalen Brunson (514) as the leading overall scorer in these playoffs. But the real milestone for the MVP came a couple hours later, when he and most everybody else on the Thunder got a finals win for the first time. A 19-2 run in the second quarter turned what was a six-point game into a 23-point Thunder lead. It might have seemed wobbly a couple of times — an immediate 10-0 rebuttal by the Pacers made it 52-39, and Indiana was within 13 again after Andrew Nembhard's layup with 7:09 left in the third — but the Thunder lead was never in serious doubt. With the noise level in the building often topping 100 decibels — a chainsaw is 110 dB, for comparison purposes — the Thunder did what they've done pretty much all season. They came off a loss, this time a 111-110 defeat in Game 1, and blew somebody out as their response. Including the NBA Cup title game, which doesn't count in any standings, the Thunder are now 18-2 this season when coming off a loss. Of those 18 wins, 12 have been by double digits. Vancouver Canucks Sports Local News Vancouver Canucks Local News
