Game 3 of the NBA Finals had a very unlikely hero.
Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin was the star during his team’s Finals game victory on Wednesday. Mathurin came off the bench to lead all scorers with 27 points on 9/12 shooting. The career night from Mathurin lifted Indiana to a 116-107 victory in front of their home crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The Pacers now lead the best-of-seven series by a 2-1 margin.
Mathurin was scoring in all different kinds of ways during the game, getting to the rim, hitting midrange jumpers off the dribble, and even sinking two key three-pointers.
MATHURIN FOR 25 AND A NEW PLAYOFF CAREER HIGH!
— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2025
Gives the @Pacers the lead in the 4th pic.twitter.com/MpQ8BK8vJ1
X users reacted to the out-of-nowhere performance from Mathurin with a number of great posts.
Bennedict Mathurin pic.twitter.com/U27StgURTh
— (@NewMediaSports_) June 12, 2025
Bennedict Mathurin Finals MVP pic.twitter.com/zHFnKNUJ8b
— Jake (@SuperiorNBA) June 12, 2025
bennedict mathurin tonight: pic.twitter.com/j6Un9qAuOk
— alex (@steven_lebron) June 12, 2025
The Mathurin Game. pic.twitter.com/eM4joJNwuW
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) June 12, 2025
Indiana also got some impressive contributions on Wednesday from some other bench players. TJ McConnell put up 10 points with five assists and five steals, and Obi Toppin also chipped in with eight points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.
But it was Mathurin who was the most impressive of all, doing all of his scoring in only 22 minutes of action to boot. Mathurin’s Game 3 explosion was even more unlikely when you consider that he had scored just 23 points combined over his last three playoff games entering play on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Mathurin was Indiana’s No. 6 overall pick in 2022 and has always had plenty of scoring talent. But he was in and out of the starting lineup this year, especially after Aaron Nesmith got healthy, and had even been involved in some unsavory on-court incidents earlier in the postseason.
None of that mattered on Wednesday though as Mathurin turned in the biggest game of his life to lead the Pacers to a crucial NBA Finals game victory.
