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DETROIT -- Center Jalen Duren posted 31 points and 15 rebounds to lead the first-place Pistons to a 127-112 win over the last-place Pacers at Little Caesar's Arena on Monday night.
The Pacers have lost eight straight games and fell to 1-13, continuing their worst start in franchise history. Their last six losses have all come by at least 15 points. The Pistons have won 10 straight and lead the Eastern Conference at 12-2.
Guard Daniss Jenkins added 26 points and eight assists for the Pistons. Swingman Javonte Green added 20 points off the bench. All-Star forward Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 29 points to go with seven rebounds. Guard Bennedict Mathurin added 25 points in his first game back from a great toe sprain. Center Isaiah Jackson had 16 points and 10 rebounds and guard Andrew Nembhard added 15 points.
Here are three observations.
In Bennedict Mathurin's first two games of this season, he was arguably the Pacers' most dominant player, scoring 36 points in their double-overtime loss to the Thunder on opening night and 26 in 28 minutes in Game 2 against Memphis before he went to the locker room with a right great toe sprain and did not return.
Through the first half and most of the third quarter on Monday, it seemed like it would take a while for him to get that rhythm back. He scored just two points in the first half on 0 of 3 shooting. He got his first field goal of the game with 10:46 to go in the third quarter and didn't get his second until the 3:23 mark of the third period. Still, he ended up with nine points in the third period and then early in the fourth Mathurin went off.
Mathurin scored 11 points and hit three 3-pointers in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter and ended up scoring 25 points on 7 of 16 shooting, including 3 of 9 from 3 in the game. He was also 8 of 14 from the free-throw line, showing off his capacity to put pressure on defenses.
Mathurin helped cut what had been a 24-point Pistons lead back to single digits before Detroit turned the pressure backup and put the game away. But Mathurin did enough to put a scare into Detroit and give the Pacers reason for hope that he might at least eventually help them snap out of the worst start in franchise history.
The Pacers were having enough problems already on offense heading into Monday's game, ranking 29th of the league's 30 teams in scoring, 30th in both field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage and 30th in offensive rating. One thing they were actually fairly good at was ball security, as they ranked fifth in the league in fewest turnovers with a manageable 13.9 per game.
On Monday they, for the most part, still couldn't shoot the ball and they also gave it away. At halftime the Pacers had as many turnovers (13) as they did field goals and in the third quarter they committed their 19th turnover before making their 19th field goal. Bennedict Mathurin's early fourth-quarter explosion saved them from finishing with fewer buckets than giveaways, but they still finished with 21 turnovers on the evening. It was their second-highest total of the year.
The Pistons entered Monday's game with plenty of injuries of their own with All-Star Cade Cunningham and promising wing Ausar Thompson among several key players out with injuries. However talented young big man Jalen Duren has been carrying the squad in their absence and he was too much of a problem down low for the Pacers to solve.
Duren scored 31 points on 12 of 13 shooting, made 7 of 11 free throws and grabbed 15 rebounds in just 29 minutes. He also had three assists and the Pistons were +20 when he was on the floor. He was a big reason why the Pistons outscored the Pacers 66-48 in the paint.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers Bennedict Mathurin returns, scores 25 but still loses to Pistons
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The Pacers have lost eight straight games and fell to 1-13, continuing their worst start in franchise history. Their last six losses have all come by at least 15 points. The Pistons have won 10 straight and lead the Eastern Conference at 12-2.
Guard Daniss Jenkins added 26 points and eight assists for the Pistons. Swingman Javonte Green added 20 points off the bench. All-Star forward Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 29 points to go with seven rebounds. Guard Bennedict Mathurin added 25 points in his first game back from a great toe sprain. Center Isaiah Jackson had 16 points and 10 rebounds and guard Andrew Nembhard added 15 points.
Here are three observations.
Bennedict Mathurin starts slow but finds his rhythm
In Bennedict Mathurin's first two games of this season, he was arguably the Pacers' most dominant player, scoring 36 points in their double-overtime loss to the Thunder on opening night and 26 in 28 minutes in Game 2 against Memphis before he went to the locker room with a right great toe sprain and did not return.
Through the first half and most of the third quarter on Monday, it seemed like it would take a while for him to get that rhythm back. He scored just two points in the first half on 0 of 3 shooting. He got his first field goal of the game with 10:46 to go in the third quarter and didn't get his second until the 3:23 mark of the third period. Still, he ended up with nine points in the third period and then early in the fourth Mathurin went off.
Mathurin scored 11 points and hit three 3-pointers in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter and ended up scoring 25 points on 7 of 16 shooting, including 3 of 9 from 3 in the game. He was also 8 of 14 from the free-throw line, showing off his capacity to put pressure on defenses.
Mathurin helped cut what had been a 24-point Pistons lead back to single digits before Detroit turned the pressure backup and put the game away. But Mathurin did enough to put a scare into Detroit and give the Pacers reason for hope that he might at least eventually help them snap out of the worst start in franchise history.
Pacers add turnovers to list of offensive problems
The Pacers were having enough problems already on offense heading into Monday's game, ranking 29th of the league's 30 teams in scoring, 30th in both field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage and 30th in offensive rating. One thing they were actually fairly good at was ball security, as they ranked fifth in the league in fewest turnovers with a manageable 13.9 per game.
On Monday they, for the most part, still couldn't shoot the ball and they also gave it away. At halftime the Pacers had as many turnovers (13) as they did field goals and in the third quarter they committed their 19th turnover before making their 19th field goal. Bennedict Mathurin's early fourth-quarter explosion saved them from finishing with fewer buckets than giveaways, but they still finished with 21 turnovers on the evening. It was their second-highest total of the year.
Jalen Duren overwhelming in the paint
The Pistons entered Monday's game with plenty of injuries of their own with All-Star Cade Cunningham and promising wing Ausar Thompson among several key players out with injuries. However talented young big man Jalen Duren has been carrying the squad in their absence and he was too much of a problem down low for the Pacers to solve.
Duren scored 31 points on 12 of 13 shooting, made 7 of 11 free throws and grabbed 15 rebounds in just 29 minutes. He also had three assists and the Pistons were +20 when he was on the floor. He was a big reason why the Pistons outscored the Pacers 66-48 in the paint.
Get IndyStar's Pacers coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Pacers Update newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers Bennedict Mathurin returns, scores 25 but still loses to Pistons
Continue reading...
