A new report shows that in-state rivals Kentucky and Louisville are the top contenders for, arguably, the best point guard in this month’s college basketball transfer portal.

For Kentucky and Louisville, the 2025–26 seasons fell below the programs’ standards. The Cardinals regressed a bit last season, after winning 27 games – 18 in conference – last season. Posting a disappointing 11–7 record in the ACC and being bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. While disappointing, it was better than the Wildcats.

Despite what many felt was a strong roster to start the season, Kentucky finished 22–14 and posted a miserable 10–8 record in the SEC this season. To make matters worse, after reaching the regional semifinals a year ago, they barely got past Santa Clara in the tournament’s opening round. They were then defeated by Iowa State in the round of 32.

Coaches Pat Kelsey and Mark Pope are beginning to feel the pressure of high expectations for their programs, and they will both look to the transfer portal for an improved season in 2026-27. What’s strange is that both schools are targeting the same player.

Robert Wright III is a top target for Louisville and Kentucky

According to 24/7 Sports basketball analyst Travis Branham, Louisville has been one of the most offensive teams in the portal and is expected to be in the pursuit of BYU guard Robert Wright III as they look to replace Mikel Brown after he declares for June’s NBA draft.

However, he is expected to get competition from Kentucky, which does not have a traditional point guard on the roster after this week’s graduation and Portal departure. With a shortage of impact point guards on the market and high demand, Branham suggests Wright III could become one of the highest-paid players in college basketball from a portal bidding war.

After transferring from Baylor last year, Wright III had a successful season for BYU. Posting 18.1 points (second on the team), 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals – both tops for the Cougars.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The Senators have to hope they don’t miss the playoffs by a point. In tonight’s overtime, they had one great chance after another, but couldn’t find a way to beat Stuart Skinner. They then led by one goal after the first period in the shootout, but the next two Penguins shooters scored as Stützle and Pinto both missed to end the game 4–3 for the Penguins. Let’s get into the details.

Ullmark shines through Senators’ defensive struggles

This is because the Senators will have a tough time without guys like Sanderson, Chabot and Jensen in their lineup. Tonight, he gave up 38 shots, the most he has given up all season. The second period was particularly difficult, with the Sens falling 16–6. That period ended with Ullmark making some big saves to keep the game tied. He kept the Sens in this game with several great saves, including a breakaway toe save in overtime.

It’s clear that Travis Green doesn’t trust Donovan right now. He played just 9:22 tonight. Yakemchuk was used a good amount tonight, playing 17:42 minutes and once again showing himself to be a threat offensively. Nonetheless, the quartet of Kleven, Zub, Spence and Matinpalo have worked extensively. Kleven, in particular, has seen his workload increase dramatically. He played 27 minutes tonight after playing a career-high 28:11 games in the previous game. With the news that Thomas Chabot is out for the next 4-8 weeks with his arm injury, Jake Sanderson may not be back soon.

Batherson scored twice again

From a goal total perspective, here are Batherson’s last 14 games:

• 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0, 2, 0, 0, 0, 2, 2

He doesn’t just score one goal in a game! His two goals tonight give him 29 points on the season, a new career high. He will need five points in the final 10 games to equal his career-high of 68 points last season.

additional comments

I’ve seen Eric Carlson put on a show like Tonight many times. However, it’s not as much fun when it’s against the Senators. Karlsson is the main reason the Penguins remained in the playoffs last month. He has scored 21 points in the month of March. Only Nikita Kucherov has more than 25. Nice to see Brady Tkachuk deliver some big hits tonight. He finished the game with six hits overall, equaling his season high. After a brutal stretch in which the Senators played six games in nine days, including two back-to-back situations, the Senators finally got some rest. Like. He will be off for two days before playing in Tampa Bay against the Lightning on Saturday.

Danny was born and raised in Ottawa and still lives in that city. He has followed… more about Danny McCloskey

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and guard Derrick White were on hand on the March 23, 2026 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw in Boston, just hours after suffering a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Celtics were represented by head coach Joe Mazzulla and guard Derrick White at TD Garden on Monday night. His appearance at ringside quickly became one of the most talked about segments of the night.

When the cameras panned to White and Mazzulla on the field, both men had a unique presentation ready for the fans. While White flashed a wide smile and smiled at the camera, Coach Majulla sat for a moment before throwing his arms around White. Mazzulla continued to attack White as the Boston crowd cheered and roared.

Soon after, pictures from the event also started going viral on the internet. WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Triple H uploaded a photo on social media, where he was seen standing with Mazzulla in his iconic pointing pose. “It was great to see.” [Celtics] Coach Joe Mazzulla [at TD Garden] …Now you’re ready for it [WWE RAW!]In another video uploaded, Triple H also gifted the Celtics head coach a custom Boston Celtics WWE Championship belt.

nice to see @Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla @tdgarden …Now you’re ready for it #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/AFl5XEvzPW

– Triple H (@TripleH) 24 March 2026

A few hours ago, at the Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game, WWE superstars Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, both wearing Celtics jerseys, were seen attending the game and shown on the big screen.

In a moment now going viral on the Internet, Morgan was caught swallowing an entire pint of beer. While Rodriguez struggled with it, Morgan finished the glass and happily posed for the camera.

As Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool prepare to face each other in a blockbuster Champions League quarter-final, Jérôme Rothen believes that the old hierarchy is gone, and that Paris should ultimately function as such.

Home form gives PSG edge

PSG to host Liverpool in Champions League quarter-final first leg on 8^th April, second leg at Anfield a week later.

But that doesn’t mean the Champions League holders can take things easy. Instead, he insists that they should take Arne Slott’s side seriously.

Both sides were title winners last season, but while PSG are making a strong title defense this season, Liverpool find themselves fifth in the Premier League, 21 points behind leaders Arsenal.

Based on that, PSG would be considered favourites, but Rothen is having none of that.

“In the Champions League quarter-finals, there are no small teams anymore,” He said, Relayed by Planet PSG. “We have to respect them and not lower ourselves compared to previous years.”

Liverpool’s European pedigree deserves respect

Despite PSG’s success last season, the gap between the two sides in Europe is still considerable.

Liverpool are one of the Champions League’s top contenders, with six titles to their name and four runner-up finishes. In comparison, PSG have won it once and also finished runner-up once.

In a broader view, Liverpool have 14 European trophies to their name, while PSG’s number is four and that includes the Intertoto Cup. However, they are the new dominant power and Rothen feels they should no longer feel inferior.

“Today, PSG should not feel inferior to these clubs. Because they are now in the same league,” He added.

Rothen predicts high-level Champions League clash

In fact, he is giving PSG the lead ahead of the double-header. But he doesn’t expect it to be an easy game. Instead, he predicts a high-level tie.

“For me, PSG is the favourite, but the gap with Liverpool is not huge. I hope they can get back to last year’s form, controlling every aspect of the game.” He concluded.

His message is clear. Respect Liverpool, fear no one and accept PSG’s position among Europe’s elite. If they do, a worthy quarter-final in the spotlight could be on the way.

🇧🇷 Exclusive: Liverpool eyeing Vinicius Lira

⭐️ The 18-year-old is one of Santos’ top prospects
➡️ #lfc Keeping a close eye on the fullback’s development
📈 Believe he could be a more complete talent than Souza, who recently joined Tottenham
👇 More fines 👇https://t.co/N7g9P4X4iy

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 16 March 2026

Edoardo Bove joined Watford in January and the deal came as a welcome return to action for the midfielder.

sports witness His move to London was extensively covered, as the Italian made his debut against Preston in mid-February.

It was widely celebrated in Italy, where Bove saw his career take off and then fade due to heart problems. He became a fan favorite at AS Roma, where he initially enjoyed success under José Mourinho.

Bowe scored his first goal for Watford against Wrexham at the weekend. It was also his first goal in over 14 months, with his last goal coming on loan at Fiorentina.

The Italian has now spoken to the press in his home country.

The goal was seen as a starting point

The 23-year-old expressed his delight at TG1 after the goal and he sees it as the starting point for something special at Watford.

He said- relayed by voiceless: : “It was a very smart goal. Last year I had a lot of time to think and dream, now this is a new starting point.”

Bowe also revealed that he always tells his teammates to have fun after seeing the worst in the last few months.

“When we face certain types of obstacles, I think we gain special resources. I can tell the boys to always have fun, to put maximum passion into everything they do.”

romanist pages Also praising the player, he said that his family was present at Vicarage Road to see this goal. Members of Roma’s London fanclub were also in attendance, with the outlet saying that Bove felt like a footballer once again.

Bowe has come as a big boost for Watford

In a way, the midfielder’s rise to the Hornets’ first team has come at the right time.

They are still in the race for promotion and are five points clear of sixth-placed Southampton. Bowe’s playing time has also gradually increased since his debut, which is a very good sign.

His goal is a clear reminder of his abilities and that he is slowly getting back to his best level.

At Roma and Fiorentina, he was a hard-working box-to-box midfielder who was praised for his work-ethic. He can also play as an attacking midfielder when needed and Watford may soon see more of the same.

It’s hard to be a Brooklyn Nets supporter these days as they remain near the bottom of the NBA. They are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Brooklyn’s ineptitude was on full display Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Barclays Center.

It soon became a one-sided affair as the Thunder exerted their power. At halftime, the defending champions were comfortably ahead of the Nets 60–24.

Yes, that is correct. 60-24. Even the man in the White House can’t claim it’s fake news.

Fans at the X were quick to roast the Nets for their low output.

@TGJC1979 said, “The Nets are spending nearly $154 million this season, and have scored 24 points in 24 minutes of professional basketball.”

@dbell983 said, “The Nets need to be investigated. 24 points at halftime in a real game is crooked behavior.”

@EVBettors said, “Bam Adebayo scored more points in his 83-point game in the first quarter than the Nets scored in the first half tonight.”

“The Nets are terrible. I hope they get the top pick,” @Heathh_hayesss posted.

@no_real_id commented, “Adam Silver’s NBA featuring the Nets vs. the Thunder, SMH.”

The Nets recorded their lowest production in the first half since the 1997–1998 season.

They were reportedly willing to trade their best player, Michael Porter Jr., in February as they were potentially aiming for a higher opportunity to get the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.

Brooklyn lost to Oklahoma City, 121–92.

Jalen Wilson led the team with 15 points and five rebounds off the bench. They fell to 17-52, including 9-25 at home.

On Tuesday evening, the New York Knicks continued their winning ways with an easy home win over the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks played this game without star point guard Jalen Brunson, who was nursing a neck injury, which meant other players had to take on larger roles.

One of those players was wing Josh Hart, who stepped up to the challenge and scored 33 points with seven rebounds and five assists in the win. After the game, the newest member of the Knicks, Jose Alvarado, jokingly made fun of Hart’s point guard abilities.

“Oh no, he can’t handle any basketball. He just takes the ball and keeps his shoulder down but he’s no point guard. He just did good today, man,” said Alvarado, according to the former Knicks video on Twitter.

Hart and some of his other teammates, including Brunson, have long been known for poking fun at each other in the media, so the fact that Alvarado is already into this tradition shows how quickly he’s fitting in to his new home in New York.

Alvarado had a solid game in his own right in Brunson’s absence on Tuesday, scoring 16 points along with 10 assists in the win.

Meanwhile, Knicks fans will certainly be hoping that Brunson’s injury isn’t something that will keep him out of the lineup for a long time as the playoffs approach. New York is currently third in the Eastern Conference, but they could realistically move up or down one spot by the end of the season depending on how things go.

The Knicks next take the field on Friday evening for a bridge-across road game against the Brooklyn Nets.

The 2025-26 season has not been great for Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green on the injury front. After missing a total of 21 games over the first four seasons of his career (including a total of zero for the last two campaigns), Green has missed 48 games this season due to hamstring problems. But it looks like Green is putting those injury troubles in the rearview mirror.

On Friday night, despite the Suns’ 122-115 loss to the Toronto Raptors in which he lost offensive fire in the clutch, Green made himself a peach of a ballgame. The fifth-year guard recorded a team-high 34 points on 13-25 shooting from the field (8-16 from beyond the arc) with five rebounds, four assists and one steal, and in doing so, he scored 30 points in two consecutive games for the first time this season.

Green scored 36 points in the win over the Indiana Pacers last night, and he’s looking healthy to the extent that he’s doing so despite being down two sets in a row to the Suns. This suggests that the team is not too concerned about the long-term stability of his hamstring.

His latest effort may end in defeat, but gaining a foothold late in the season helps Green at least cover for the absence of Dillon Brooks, who has been an offensive cornerstone for the Suns all season.

Suns are in the running for a spot in the Western Conference

As things stand, the Suns will be faced with the incredible task of becoming one of the best teams in the West by making it through the play-in tournament. Currently their record is 39-28, but that puts them in seventh place in the standings.

There will be no rest for these tired Suns, as their next three games will be against extremely tough opposition. On Monday, they face the Boston Celtics, followed by games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs.

What is the reason why the St. Louis Blues goaltenders recently had some of their best games of the season against the Carolina Hurricanes?

The Hurricanes lost 3-1 against the Blues, a game that got off to a hot start…but ended quickly. Carolina led in almost every nightly statistic. They outshot them 32-17, defended them with 12 blocked shots versus nine, and even had a better hold on the puck with 11 giveaways versus 16.

However, the second and third periods lacked the same urgency and effectiveness as the first frame. Mark Jankowski was the only scorer for the Hurricanes, scoring his seventh goal of the season (in highlight reel-worthy fashion) just before half of the first period was played.

The Hurricanes looked great in the first twenty minutes, but struggled to keep the fire burning defensively and offensively for the next forty minutes.

Jimmy Snuggerud scored with a shot between the legs of Jakob Slavin, who also served as a screen for Brandon Bussey, and tied the game.

In the third period, with just under five minutes left to play, Snuggerud scored his second goal of the game after the puck bounced off Jalen Chatfield’s stick.

Moments later, with the net empty, Seth Jarvis’ pass was intercepted by Alexey Toropchenko, who passed it to Jack Finley, who sent it past goal scorer Pavel Buchnevich to seal the game 3–1.

difference maker

Storm’s downfall was not a complete loss of generation. In fact, they created 29 scoring chances and 15 high-danger scoring chances, compared to the Blues’ 16 and three. Instead, the collapse was caused by the efficient play of Jordan Binnington, who sparked his team with big saves and kept those flames burning with consistent stops. This appeared to be the 32-year-old veteran’s best performance of the season, as he posted a save percentage of .969 (his best non-shutout save percentage of the season) and made 31 saves.

silver linings

Brandon Bussey played brilliantly. Both goals scored on him were particularly difficult shots, one of which came from behind his own man’s screen – and through his skates – and the other managed to slip between pad and arm, stopping almost as soon as it was sealed.

However, one important difference was their persistence. In his last game, he struggled with this, which ultimately cost him a goal. In Thursday’s game, he made stretch passes down the ice, found teammates’ tape amid high-pressure situations and cleared the puck brilliantly. Sometimes goalkeepers may have off-days for certain aspects of the game, but this did not linger in their minds for their next start.

As for another look at the game, Logan Stankoven’s line operated as a true second line against the Blues, with Stankoven himself logging 16:30 of ice time. Typically, Jordan Staal’s line is given those heavy minutes, but the Tech third line was buzzing and definitely earned its minutes.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

After Bam Adabayo’s historic 83-point night on Tuesday, NBA champion Metta World Peace gushed about who he believes will eventually break Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point record. Chamberlin set the scoring record on March 2, 1963 against the New York Knicks. World Peace stated on his X account that he believed Wembanyama would eventually have a 101-point game.

“Now I’m waiting for @wemby to score 101,” World Peace posted.

Wembanyama certainly has a tremendous opportunity for goals, with an amazing ability to score at all three levels. He towers over most NBA guards with his 7’4″ frame and definitely has the mentality to make history. He also demonstrated his ability to score points quickly in February.

Wembanyama scored 25 points in the first quarter of their matchup against the Lakers on February 10. He finished the game with 40 points and 12 rebounds on 13-20 shooting, added four three pointers and shot 10-12 from the free-throw line. No other starter finished in double figures in that game.

After the matchup, Wembanyama talked about his historic night against the Lakers. He indicated that he wants to continue playing and increase his scoring output further.

“You have to have a greed for these kinds of games,” he said. “I mean, in every game you have to be greedy to get more every time, because, you know, all the time, no matter who’s on the court, someone is going to want to stop you from doing what you’re doing out there. So you have to be greedy.”

It’s been a tumultuous career for New Orleans star Zion Williamson. When he has been on the court, he has been dominant, but the issue has been his injuries. Since the Pelicans added Zion to the team due to his injuries, he has been in and out of the lineup and has had to deal with it constantly. He is also battling injuries at the moment and even said that the worst time of his career was missing his third season because of it.

Zion Williamson visited ESPN’s “NBA Today” and had a lengthy conversation with Malika Andrews, revealing that the hardest part of his career was missing his entire third season due to a broken foot. It was a low point because he was taking shots at about his weight from everywhere, and he wanted to focus on basketball first, but he couldn’t do that.

Williamson explained, “The hardest point was when I missed my sophomore year because of a broken foot. … There was a lot of criticism about my weight, my care about the game. … I was really low because I just wanted to play basketball.”

Williamson was actually experiencing the healthiest time of his career, playing 35 consecutive games and 45 games overall this season. Still, he recently sprained his ankle during Saturday’s win over the Jazz. Despite being healthy, he is averaging 21.5 points while tying his career low with 5.8 rebounds per game.

In his career, Williamson has played 259 matches, while losing a total of 296 matches. Now, that number is about to increase following his latest ankle sprain.

It’s also worth noting that he’s in the third season of a five-year, $197.2 million deal with the Pelicans. He is making $39.4 million this year and is set to make $42.2 million next season and $44.9 million for the 2027-28 season.

Interim coach James Borrego said Williams has an ankle injury, but there was no immediate information on the severity of the injury.

“Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, and we’ll have him back there soon,” Borrego said.

New York Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson made franchise history by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 127-98 on Friday. The 29-year-old surpassed 7,000 points in the first quarter of his 265th game with New York, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone in team history.

Brunson finished with a game-high 27 points in 31 minutes, shooting 11 of 17 from the field (64.7%), 4 of 6 from three-point range and 1-of-2 at the line. He also contributed seven rebounds and three assists. He exploded for 22 points in the opening quarter, including 9 of 10 shots and all three of his three-point attempts. The 22-point burst was the second-most points in a first quarter in franchise history, one short of his own record set against Milwaukee on January 12, 2025. It was the 10th 20-point quarter of his career, recorded as a Knicks, and the highest-scoring quarter by a New York player in any span this season.

In 55 games this season, Brunson has averaged 26.7 points, 6.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 0.7 steals per game, while shooting 47.1% from the floor and 37.6% from three-point range. He finished February averaging 23.8 points, 6.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 made threes and 0.8 steals in 35.6 minutes per game. Since signing with the Knicks as a free agent in 2022 after four seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson has earned three consecutive All-Star selections, two All-NBA Second Team honors, and led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years last season.

New York shot 21 of 42 (50%) from three-point range and 60% overall in the first half, while leading 77–57 at halftime. The Knicks committed 16 turnovers resulting in 19 points and all five starters scored in double figures for the 15th time this season. OG Anunoby scored 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting, Karl-Anthony Towns added 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Landry Shamet hit five threes for 15 points.

The Bucks, who had won eight of their last 10 games and were playing their fifth game in eight days, played without Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain), who missed his 14th consecutive game.

New York picked up an important win over a sub-.500 Milwaukee team. Next, the Knicks will host the Western Conference’s No. 2-seeded San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was amazed by rookie Nikola Topic, who he says helped his team earn a 105-86 win against the Brooklyn Nets. Topic finished with nine points and two assists, shutting the door on the Nets in the final frame.

To Daigneault, Topic is one of the NBA’s rare pure point guards, he explained during his postgame media availability, as the Thunder head coach really impressed By playing in Topic’s only second game.

“There aren’t a lot of real pure point guards in basketball anymore. Incredible skill, but traditional team runners, not a ton of them, and that’s what he is: He can run your team. He’ll organize you on the floor. He understands what we’re trying to accomplish, even at this extremely early infant stage of his career, and he has the passing to go with it.

“He’s still got a long way to go. Offensively he’s got a lot to learn in terms of getting the edge, reading different coverages that he’s going to see as the league gets to know him a little bit; it’ll be a new challenge for him. But he’s off to a great start.”

Mark Daigneault says Nikola Topic is one of the few “pure point guards” left in the NBA: “There aren’t a lot of true pure point guards in basketball anymore…

And that’s what he is: He can run your team. He will settle you to the top. He understands what we’re trying to do… pic.twitter.com/tHcweGPdys

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 21 February 2026

Daigneault put Friday’s performance into perspective, reminding reporters that Topic is still in the early stages of his NBA career, despite the rookie’s impressive debut following an ACL injury and testicular cancer diagnosis.

Daigneault said, “This is his second NBA game. So, it would be unfair to really evaluate him in this context.” “But, he’s obviously a really good player. He has a really good feel for the game. He goes out there and treats it like it belongs to him. He shoots threes. He’s not afraid to drive.”

Subject went 4-for-6 from the floor, including 1-for-2 from deep. He also grabbed three rebounds in 11 minutes off the bench.

Nicola Topic reflects on ‘amazing’ Thunder win

In only his second game, Thunder rookie Nikola Topic helped his team clinch the win by outscoring the Nets in the final frame of a 19-point win at the Paycom Center. Jared McCain’s season-high 21 points off the bench led the Thunder in scoring. However, in his second game, Topic addressed the media in his first postgame press conference of the season.

Topic took time out to thank Thunder fans for their warm embrace during his NBA debut last week.

Topic said, “Amazing moment. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life – thanks to the fans.” “Definitely, I will remember it for the rest of my life.”

Still getting back into the swing of things Topic, who hadn’t played a basketball game in nearly two years, said it took him a while to get used to playing again.

Topic continued, “It was weird at first. I’m just getting back to the game experience again.” “I was out for a while. It was very weird coming back. I was finding myself doing things I had never done before. It was pretty hard to adjust to, but every game was better. The first game in the G League. The second game was better. The first game here was OK. The second was better. But I think it will only get better.”

The Thunder will host the Cavs on Sunday.

Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers got a big win against one of the NBA’s best teams on Thursday night thanks to the contributions of freshman shooting guard Benedict Mathurin.

The fourth-year guard was traded to the Clippers on the day of the NBA trade deadline in a package that brought Isaiah Jackson and some draft picks to Los Angeles in exchange for All-Defensive center Ivica Zubac.

In his third game with the team since the acquisition – and his first game inside the Intuit Dome as a Clipper – Mathurin led the Clippers’ comeback win.

Benedict Mathurin scored 38 points in his first game at home, leading the Clippers to a 115–114 win over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The guard shot 12 of 22 from the field and 12 of 13 from the free throw line in the win, scored 11 points off the bench in the first quarter and poured in 16 points in the fourth quarter to close out the win.

“He’s doing it,” Kawhi Leonard said of his new teammate. “It’s great to have another scorer that can get 30 points, saw him in the NBA Finals [against the Oklahoma City Thunder]. “He was doing that all year with the Pacers, in the finals last year, so it’s great to have him.”

Kawhi Leonard on Benedict Mathurin’s 38-point night vs. Nuggets:

“He’s doing that. It’s great to have another scorer that can get 30 points, saw him in the finals. He was doing that with the Pacers in the finals last year, so it’s great to have him.” pic.twitter.com/rDreMcknPn

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 20 February 2026

Mathurin had some big performances for the Indiana Pacers last season, including a 27-point performance in Game 3, helping his team take a 2–1 series lead, and a 24-point, 13-rebound performance in Game 7, after Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles tendon.

“He’s been aggressive since he’s been playing with us, but it was great,” Leonard said. “Like you said, he scored 11 in the first, and he continued it from there. He came out in transition, made some layups, hit some big three-point shots. Guarded very well, so it’s been a great pickup.”

Benedict Mathurin has increased his scoring, rebounding and assists for three consecutive seasons, but now he has a chance to develop a consistency that was not available to him at Indiana under head coach Rick Carlisle.

“It’s going to be amazing [playing under head coach Tyronn Lue],” Mathurin said after last night’s win. “He might end up being my best friend.” He told me to be aggressive, man. He told me how I am, and I feel like he really knows my game. He knows exactly what I can do. So, I’m glad to have him as our coach and I think with everyone together we can do great things.”

Thursday night was also the second consecutive game in which Mathurin reached double-digit free throw attempts, displaying the ability to not only score at a high level, but also pressure the defense and get to the free throw line, where he shot 83.6 percent for his career.