Latest news with #Mathurin
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Indiana Pacers X-factor that will determine 2025 NBA Finals vs. Thunder
The post Indiana Pacers X-factor that will determine 2025 NBA Finals vs. Thunder appeared first on ClutchPoints. Most view the Indiana Pacers as the heavy underdog heading into their 2025 NBA Finals clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and perhaps for good reason. The Thunder have scarcely struggled in this year's playoffs; they may have been pushed to the brink by the Denver Nuggets, but the Nuggets have perhaps the most difficult player to guard in the entire league in Nikola Jokic, and they play such an unorthodox, post-driven offense that only a Jokic-led team can excel with. Advertisement Facing perimeter-based stars has not been a problem for the Thunder at all; they made light work of both the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves (teams led by Ja Morant and Anthony Edwards) — both teams that rely on dribble penetration to create easy looks either at the basket or from beyond the arc. The Pacers are perhaps more versatile offensively, but even then, they rely so much on Tyrese Haliburton's ability to create off the pick-and-roll that there is a legitimate possibility that they play into the hands of OKC's elite defense. Nonetheless, the Pacers have relied on their entire roster it seems throughout this entire playoff run, and it's not like head coach Rick Carlisle to stop looking at his bench for someone who can turn the tide of the game in their favor. With that said, here are three players that could end up being game-changers for the Pacers as they face long odds in their quest to defeat OKC in this year's Finals. Bennedict Mathurin could be due for a huge series Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Bennedict Mathurin can score; if there's anything he does at a high level on the court, it's find a way to get the ball to go through the hoop. Nonetheless, Mathurin has largely taken a backseat through the first three rounds of this year's playoffs. The Pacers are smart to limit Mathurin's minutes; he has mostly functioned as an instigator and not much more for his team, and the numbers tell the story of just how much the team has struggled whenever he's on the court. Advertisement According to PBP Stats, the Pacers are nearly 17 points better whenever Mathurin is on the bench, and the eye test does not disprove this. Every time Mathurin is on the court, it seems like the team has so many breakdowns on defense all while going nowhere on offense. Is it Mathurin's fault that he's largely tasked to carry units filled with fellow bench players, which then leads to bad on-off numbers? Perhaps not. But it is not that hard to see why the Pacers opted to mothball Mathurin for the most part, especially during the Eastern Conference Finals. He was a -37 during the entirety of the series against the New York Knicks and was a -12 in eight minutes during their closeout win in Game 6. He doesn't provide the same tenacious defense that Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard do, while his ability to get to the foul line becomes less of an asset in the playoffs where the officials referee the game more tightly. With all of that said, it seems like giving Mathurin many minutes against the Thunder would be a recipe for disaster. His decision-making is not the best as well which could be a nightmare against OKC's turnover-forcing machine. However, it's the chaos that Mathurin would bring that could be of value to the Pacers. His foul-drawing ability could be something to use against the Thunder's army of long-limbed defenders; when the Pacers were stuck in the mud in Game 5 against the Knicks, Mathurin ended up being a positive presence, creating offense for his team by getting to the foul line nine times. Advertisement His free-throw drawing percentage is incredible and could be something the Pacers look towards using especially given how smothering OKC's defense is. Maybe Mathurin could help exaggerate some contact and generate easy points for Indiana as a result. Mathurin's trickiness could be something they use to put the likes of Caruso, Dort, and Wallace in some sort of foul trouble, freeing up Haliburton to do damage. Can the Pacers get some more Thomas Bryant magic? Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Thomas Bryant was rendered largely ineffective by the Knicks to start the ECF. In fact, he was a DNP in Games 3 and 4 of the series, with Carlisle and the Pacers opting to roll with Tony Bradley instead to combat the pressure on the glass that Mitchell Robinson was putting. Advertisement However, Bradley ended up suffering an injury, pressing Bryant into action once more. And he was brilliant in Game 6, hitting multiple threes and being an energy guy whom the Pacers relied on to give them a much-needed jolt off the bench. It's not quite clear if Bryant will get the same burn he did during the Knicks series. Perhaps he can be of some value to the Pacers whenever Isaiah Hartenstein is on the floor, with Bryant being the counter Indiana can rely on against someone who attacks the offensive glass relentlessly. The Thunder, however, can simply rely on a bit of a small-ball unit, with Caruso on the court instead of Hartenstein, putting Chet Holmgren at the five. This would make it impossible for Bryant to see the floor. But if Bryant can limit Hartenstein's effectiveness to the point where OKC is reluctant to throw him out there, then it at least removes one problem from the Pacers' mind — the rebounding game. Obi Toppin has to hit shots for Pacers' small-ball unit to thrive Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images During the Knicks series, the Pacers had to bench Myles Turner in favor of Obi Toppin whenever the Knicks went to pacier lineups. Toppin is faster and more agile, allowing him to be of more utility when switching against quicker guards. Advertisement Toppin, however, is a worse offensive player than Turner, athleticism gap notwithstanding. Turner's three-ball is much more consistent; Toppin is currently shooting 28.6 percent from three in this year's playoffs and went just 3-15 from deep against the Knicks. When the Pacers have to go small, Toppin will have to hit his shots for Indiana to be able to deploy their lineup that covers the most ground against a team that will beat them into submission. Related: 3 reasons Pacers will stun world by beating Thunder in 2025 NBA Finals Related: Why Paul Pierce trusts Tyrese Haliburton more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Parents thought their pitbull puppy mauled their baby to death while they slept. An autopsy says otherwise
A one-month-old baby who died in a New York City apartment was not killed by a dog despite initial suspicions, an autopsy has found. Kiyanna Winfield was pronounced dead at the Queensbridge Houses complex in Long Island City on Tuesday morning. At first NYPD investigators believed the newborn had been mauled by the family's 6-week-old pit bull and German Shepherd mix puppy. The girl's mother reportedly told cops she had been sleeping between her parents in bed when they woke up to find the dog gnawing at her face. When police arrived Kiyanna was unconscious with 'a substantial portion' of her face bitten off. However, a medical examiner has ruled that she did not die as a result of the dog's bites. 'The cause and manner of death are pending further study following the examination today,' a spokesperson for the New York City Office of the Medical Examiner told The New York Post Wednesday. 'But we can confirm this is not a death from a dog mauling. The injuries inflicted by the dog were postmortem.' Winfield's official cause of death is 'pending further study' and will 'include a full pediatric workup', the spokesperson said. No charges have been filed as of Thursday. Neighbors from the apartment complex said they heard 'piercing screams of a mother in anguish' bellowing through the building when the incident occurred Tuesday morning. Upon learning of the girl's death, neighbor Shanel Norville told NBC New York: 'That's really sad. I feel bad for the mom.' Norville added that she rarely saw the puppy on a leash. Two other dogs, including a pit bull, were found inside the home. The young pit bull mix pup was removed from the home by the NYPD and taken to an Animal Care Centers of NYC shelter on Tuesday evening, according to the New York Daily News. The animal was reportedly placed on a 10-day observation hold for rabies. Yvette Mathurin, whose late son was an ex-boyfriend of Kiyanna's mother, described the family's excitement at the birth. Mathurin had remained close to the girl's mother after her own son's death. 'She promised to come see me,' Mathurin told the New York Daily News. 'She said she was going to bring the baby. She was very excited. She loves kids, loves children. 'Everybody was shocked to hear what happened.'
Indianapolis Star
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
'The guy stayed ready': Benn Mathurin shakes off shaky performances with 20 points in Game 4
INDIANAPOLIS -- Pascal Siakam caught Bennedict Mathurin's kickout pass, drilled a corner 3-pointer, turned around in a circle and then made a point to find Mathurin at center court to tell him how great a pass he'd just made as the Knicks called timeout. In that play, Mathurin had done everything the Pacers had been asking him to do to fit in with their hyperkinetic ball-movement oriented offense. He ran the floor hard off a defensive stop, flanking veteran point guard T.J. McConnell from end to end until McConnell gave him the ball just inside the 3-point line. He then made a quick, smart decision with the ball, getting two defenders to collapse on him on his way to the rim, then kicking out to Siakam instead of trying to bulldog his way through contact. The play produced a 3-point shot that put the Pacers up by 15 points en route to a 130-121 win over the Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals which gives Indiana a 3-1 series lead and puts the franchise within one game of the second NBA Finals trip in its history. It was also part of a magnificently efficient performance for Mathurin, who scored 20 points on 5 of 8 shooting in just 12 minutes and 29 seconds and also dished out two assists, both for key buckets for Siakam. It was a breakout performance for the member of the Pacers who arguably most needed one. In the midst of his first healthy postseason, Mathurin has seen his role shrink from what it was during the part of the season when he was starting at small forward in place of then-injured Aaron Nesmith. But Tuesday was a reminder of the impact he can still make. "He's a big part of why we won today," Siakam said. "He's been having a tough go, maybe not getting minutes or whatever. Whatever is happening, I just thought his resiliency and the way he came out, just so aggressive, he was huge for us. Playing defense, he looked free out there, just playing the way that Benn does. I just loved his energy overall and the force he played with. When he plays that way, he's so tough to guard. He's tough to stay in front of." Mathurin and the Pacers have spent much of the season talking about what it would mean for him to be a part of this playoff run after missing last year's with a torn labrum. The Pacers heard throughout that run and last summer that their series wins over the Bucks and Knicks in the first round and Eastern Conference semifinals were lessened by the injury-related absence of several key players on both teams. However, the Pacers noted that no one mentioned that they had to play without Mathurin, who was fourth on the team with 14.5 points per game after he posted the third-highest scoring total of any rookie in Pacers history in 2022-23 when he finished first-team All-Rookie. Mathurin is one of the Pacers' most competitive players, so they expected him to shine under the playoff lights. However, Mathurin is also sometimes a square peg that the Pacers try to fit into a round hole. He is at his most comfortable trying to score one-on-one in isolation while the Pacers' offense is predicated on quick decisions and ball movement. He likes to take his time with crossover dribbles to set up defenders and attack them, but the Pacers' approach -- built in the image of point guard Tyrese Haliburton -- doesn't allow the ball to sit in someone's hands that long. The Pacers have had some success rounding off his edges, but they've found Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard to be more natural fits, which has led to Mathurin coming off the bench since mid-February and in the playoffs despite the fact that he finished third on the Pacers in scoring this season with 16.1 points per game behind only All-Stars Siakam and Haliburton. Mathurin had some strong performances in the first two rounds against the Bucks and Cavaliers. He scored a combined 27 points in the Pacers' Game 1 and Game 2 wins over Milwaukee and his 19 points in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals helped spark the Pacers' comeback win over the Cavaliers. However his 9.1 points per game in the playoffs heading into Tuesday's game was still below his standards, the Knicks series up until Game 4 had very much been a struggle. He scored a combined 11 points in Games 1-3 with nine of those points coming in Game 1. He played just 10:43 in Game 2 and 8:26 in Game 3 and was a combined 0 of 3 from the field without much contribution outside of scoring. He posted a -12 plus-minus figure in Game 2 and -5 in Game 3 in limited action. Still, rather than get discouraged by the fact that he seemed to be falling out of the rotation, Mathurin stepped up his efforts and coach Rick Carlisle noticed. "Proud of Benn Mathurin," Carlisle said. "The guy has stayed ready. He came in yesterday and worked. Got work, got shooting in, got some simulated game shots. Just been encouraging him to stay ready, that we need him and that the playoffs are just a different animal. Tonight he was great. Really gave us a huge lift and some timely buckets." The Pacers have asked Mathurin throughout the season to try to change his game to make it fit into the team concept and Tuesday's performance ranked among his best performances in that regard. He was solid on defense and didn't require the ball to be in his hands much to score. "it's really about whatever I can do to help my team win," Mathurin said. "Tonight I was pretty good to help my team win. I'm looking forward to doing whatever it takes." Mathurin got started with a pair of buckets in the last two minutes of the first quarter -- a pull-up jumper near the elbow and then a lay in when McConnell found him off a cut. In the second quarter, he banked in a floater through contact, then scored immediately when he checked in late in the period for a sideline out-of-bounds play when Haliburton found him cutting to the basket for a reverse layup and an And-1. He added another dunk off a pass for McConnell to round out his five field goals. "He settled in," Haliburton said. "Obviously, he probably hasn't played the way he'd want to this series. We knew it would just take him seeing one go in." Those buckets made him a tougher cover and the Knicks struggled to defend him without fouling. He went to the line for 11 free throws and made 10 of them including 5 of 6 in the fourth quarter. He also had a mostly solid performance on the defensive end an area where he's made some strides in his third year. "I'm just happy for him," Siakam said. "I'm happy for him because I know that he cares so much about the game and he cares about getting better and wanting to be a part of our success. Obviously he didn't play last year in the playoffs. This is a big game. Twenty points in 12 minutes, and the points is one thing, but I just think the way he played the game and how aggressive he was. He's a big part of who we are and why we're successful this year. I was just so happy for him to see him getting into the flow of the game and in limited minutes being able to have that much impact on the game was amazing." And despite the limited minutes he was getting, Carlisle still sees opportunity for him to make an impact going forward.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Knicks' generous mood giving Pacers free pass to NBA Finals
Knicks' generous mood giving Pacers free pass to NBA Finals Show Caption Hide Caption Knicks look to make it a long series against Pacers The Knicks have all the momentum after a 20-point comeback win in Game 3. Can they win Game 4 and make this series against the Pacers a tight one? The New York Knicks now are facing even longer odds. The Indiana Pacers sprinted past New York on Tuesday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, 130-121, to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. In NBA playoff history, only 13 teams have overcome such a deficit to advance. As he has all series long, Knicks All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson led New York with 31 points. But he was outdueled by Indiana's All-Star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, who recorded a historic, 32-point, 15-assist, 12-rebound triple-double. MORE: Karl-Anthony Towns injury update: Knicks big man hurts knee in Game 4 loss MORE: Shawn Kemp pleads guilty to second-degree assault charge from 2023 shooting Here are the winners and losers from Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks: WINNERS Tyrese Haliburton drops historic triple-double Knowing he needed to be aggressive in a crucial Game 4, the Pacers All-Star point guard came out looking to set a tone from the tip. The end result was unprecedented; Haliburton became the first player in NBA history to record a 30-point, 15-assist triple-double without committing a single turnover. His 12 rebounds were a career best in any game. He played with efficiency (11-of-23 shooting) and control and he was the player who sparked Indiana's tempo. As soon as he collected a board or received a pass in the backcourt, he dashed up the floor to look for his teammates. Not to be overlooked, Haliburton also recorded four steals. He was everywhere. And, he did it all in front of his father, John Haliburton, who was allowed to attend the game after the Pacers temporarily banned him after his on-court postgame run-in with Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier in the NBA playoffs.. Benedict Mathurin shows up Despite Indiana's success in the Eastern Conference finals, one of the key Pacers reserves, electric guard Benedict Mathurin, had struggled all series. Mathurin had scored just 11 points in the previous three games combined, putting up only eight shot attempts. Tuesday night, Mathurin was a factor as soon as he stepped on the floor. He converted two quick baskets, swishing a pullup jumper just seconds after checking in and then scooping in a finger roll after cutting to the rim. In just 12:30 of game time, Mathurin dropped 20 points on 5-of-8 shooting. The true sign of his aggressive mindset was his attacking mentality that earned him 11 free throw attempts, 10 of which he converted. LOSERS The Knicks simply cannot stop giving it away If there's one thing alone that cost New York this game it's that it constantly gave the ball away. New York committed 17 turnovers, compared to just 11 from the Pacers, which led to 20 Indiana points. It's no coincidence, then, that the Pacers, one of the quickest teams in the NBA, sprinted to a 22-9 advantage in fastbreak points; these things are all linked. 'You turn it over against them, particularly the live ball turnovers, and you're fueling (their) transition game,' Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. Knicks get more bad injury news The prospect of the Knicks pulling out Game 5 became significantly more complicated late in the fourth quarter. Center Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 20 points in the fourth quarter of New York's Game 3 comeback, suffered a left knee injury when Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith's right knee crashed into Towns' left knee. Towns crumpled onto the floor in obvious pain, though he remained in the game. Thibodeau said Towns would be evaluated before Game 5 to determine his status for Thursday. In any case, the injury came to the same knee Towns was already favoring. Even if he is able to go in Game 5, he may be hampered. As it was, Towns was laboring up the floor Tuesday after the injury. New York's bench folds in second half The Knicks bench — players like Delon Wright, Landry Shamet and Miles McBride — were catalysts that sparked New York's comeback in Game 3. As New York trailed the entire second half of Game 4, however, the bench could not replicate its success. Josh Hart and the other three mentioned above scored just eight points in the second half on 2-of-7 shooting. Hart was easily the most active, but five of his six fouls came in the second half. Wright did make a few defensive plays, but he followed those with poor shot selections.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Facing Major Backlash for Decision in Pacers-Cavaliers Game
The Indiana Pacers put the Cleveland Cavaliers on the deathbed on Sunday with a 129-109 blowout victory that was even more lopsided than the final score may suggest. Early in the game, there was a dust-up between the two teams. Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin hit Cavs forward De'Andre Hunter in the chest, and Hunter reacted by shoving Mathurin to the ground. Pacers center Myles Turner then took a shot at Hunter in retaliation. Advertisement Mathurin was assessed a flagrant 2 foul and was ejected as a result. It was a controversial decision, as one X user argued. "First time in NBA history that a player has been ejected for a light, open-handed shove to an opponent's chest," the user wrote. "Mathurin's ejection should be reversed. The NBA is a joke." Some fans seemed to agree. "are we really defending an ejection *that was reviewed* in a game you're up 41?" one fan wrote. "have some self respect." "Was this from a game in the 80s?" another fan wrote. "ejected the wrong one," wrote another fan. "Hand CLEARLY open there," a fourth fan wrote. "Comical by the refs." "It is so obvious the refs want the Cavs to win," a fifth fan claimed. "Keep up the pace and the Pressure pacers, make it so the refs don't matter at all." "NBA hates the Indiana Pacers," another fan claimed. At the time of the altercation, Indiana led 22-10. From there, its lead only grew. It was ahead 61-37 with just over three minutes to go in the first half when it scored 17 unanswered points, allowing it to take an unbelievable 80-39 advantage at halftime. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) defends during game three of the second round for the 2025 NBA Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images To make matters worse for the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell, their best player, missed the second half due to an injured ankle. Per head coach Kenny Atkinson, Mitchell will have an MRI, which means his status for Game 5 back in Northeast Ohio is in doubt. Advertisement The Pacers now lead the series three games to one over a team that went 64-18 in the regular season and often looked nearly unbeatable. Related: Donovan Mitchell Turns Heads With Comments on Cavaliers-Pacers Series
