In one electric night, Bennedict Mathurin turns a rebuilding Clippers roster into a potential Western Conference spoiler, torching the Nuggets for 38 and icing the game from the stripe with 0.9 left.
Why Mathurin Matters in the Playoff Math
The Los Angeles Clippers didn’t just add another scorer at the deadline; they imported instant offense. Bennedict Mathurin torched Denver for 38 on 12-of-22 shooting, becoming the first Clipper since Kawhi Leonard in 2020 to drop 35+ in a home debut.
That production flips the standings. The Clippers now sit a half-game back of the No. 4 seed and own the NBA’s second-best record (21-7) since December 20, per AP NBA standings.
The Final 0.9 Chaos
Jamal Murray’s three free-throw opportunity—earned when Derrick Jones Jr. fouled him on a three-point heave—ended in disaster for the Nuggets. Murray canned the first two to pull within one, then clanged the third as the horn sounded, sealing a one-point heart-breaker.
Denver still controls the West’s top seed at 38-19, but the loss ends a six-game win streak and exposes a thin roster missing Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Peyton Watson (hamstring).
Clips’ New Big-3 Blueprint
Kawhi Leonard extended his 20-point streak to 34 games with 23 efficient points. Derrick Jones Jr. added 22 while hunting mismatches. Yet it’s Mathurin—just 23—whose downhill game stretches defenses vertically, something the Clippers lacked outside of Leonard’s mid-post work.
- Mathurin’s average before the trade: 16.4 PPG with Indiana
- His usage rate Thursday (34.2%) would rank top-10 in the league over a full season
- He became only the sixth Clipper ever to score 35+ within his first three games for the franchise
Jokic Stuffs Stat Sheet, Runs Out of Help
Nikola Jokic logged his league-leading 45th double-double—22 points, 17 boards, 9 assists on 9-of-16 shooting—but the Clippers’ switching scheme forced the supporting cast into late-clock jumpers. Denver shot 10-32 from deep after halftime and committed 16 turnovers leading to 21 L.A. points.
Next Games
Nuggets hit the road Friday at Portland, where they’ve won 12 straight. Clippers stay in town for a crosstown duel with the Lakers, giving Mathurin 24 hours to show Hollywood the encore.
One night, one star-is-born moment, one seismic shift in the West. Stay locked on onlytrustedinfo.com for the fastest breakdown of every buzzer-beater, trade ripple, and playoff shake-up.
