Bennedict Mathurin has been a gift that keeps on giving for the Los Angeles Clippers since they acquired him before the trade deadline.
He had a shot at becoming an even bigger name for the Clippers on Sunday, but he blew it, as he missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer against the Orlando Magic at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
With the Magic up by two points and only seconds left in regulation, the Clippers got the ball back after a great defensive play by Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Mathurin recovered the leather and gave it to Kawhi Leonard.
Mathurin then relocated and got a pass from Leonard, whose gravity attracted seemingly all of the Magic’s attention. He had a good line on his shot, but Mathurin couldn’t hit the target. Leonard and other Clippers players immediately went to Mathurin to pick him up afterward.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser with a huge block to give the Clippers a chance to tie or win.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) February 23, 2026
Bennedict Mathurin’s game-winning attempt is just long. The whole team went to encourage him after. pic.twitter.com/7DGBWi2HBa
Despite his missed shot in the 111-109 loss to Orlando, Mathurin said he felt the support of Leonard, who led the Clippers in the game with 37 points.
“It means a lot,” the former Arizona Wildcats star said about Leonard’s gesture to him after the game, via Clippers beat writer Joey Linn.
“In my opinion he’s one of the greatest players to ever play the game. So to have him come show love and show support that there’s many more ahead of me — for a guy who’s made a lot of those shots, it was great to see.”
Mathurin will learn a lot of basketball wisdom playing alongside Leonard, and what happened on Sunday was part of his learning curve.
Mathurin concluded the Magic game with 21 points on 7-for-16 shooting with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Through five games with the Clippers, he’s averaged 22.0 points, 6.2 boards and 3.6 dimes.
