Pacers Point Guard praises rookie Bennedict Mathurin exhibiting star potential, expects him to put on a show for Pacers: "You can see his hunger for the game of basketball"
Bennedict Mathurin has been a sensation since coming into the league. Teammate Tyrese Haliburton has praised the rookie for his performances so far.
Mathurin was selected by the Indiana Pacers as the sixth pick in the 2022 draft. The 20-year-old has consistently shown his value to the team.
On "NBA Today," Haliburton was asked what he thought of his teammate so far. He said:
"He's been awesome. He's been as advertised. Coming in in the draft process, you can see his hunger for the game of basketball. You can see his body and how it's already NBA ready.
"It's not a surprise to see him doing what he's doing. He's been doing it all training camp, all preseason. It's not a surprise he's doing it now. ... There's still a lot of room for him to grow, there's still a lot of room for us to grow in our relationship. And I think that he can do a lot of things super well, and I'm really excited to move forward together."
"He's been as advertised. You can see his hunger for the game of basketball. It's not a surprise to see him doing what he's doing."
@TyHaliburton22 on @BennMathurin
#BoomBaby https://t.co/030VPuGozd
Haliburton and Mathurin have developed an incredible partnership in the backcourt. Both players are growing together and putting on a show for Indiana.
The rookie guard is currently the second-highest scorer on the team with 21.0 points per game despite coming off the bench. He is also second on the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year ladder.
Pacers off to a slow start this season
Although the Pacers are off to a slow start this season, they are doing a lot better than many expected.
The Pacers have put together several scimitar performances to the surprise of many. They have taken on a few of the "big" teams and came out victorious in some.
Before their last game against the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana had a 2-4 record. Their two victories were against the Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards.
However, the Pacers are determined to turn things around and they showed that against the Nets. Mathurin had a team-high 32 points to lead the Pacers to a 125-116 victory.
Bennedict Mathurin is a PROBLEM 😤
The rook posted 32 PTS, 6 3PM & 5 REB in the @Pacers win over the Nets https://t.co/NgmfhK1RW3
With three wins in seven outings, Indiana is currently placed 9th in the Eastern Conference standings. They will square up against the Nets on Monday night and will be hoping to get their 4th win of the campaign.
What is the Pacers' ceiling this season?
The Pacers have shown exciting prospects but are still a long way from being championship contenders. Nonetheless, they have shown that they could cause some upsets in the East.
Last season, Indiana finished 13th in the East with a 25-47 record. Although they have a great chance of bettering that record, a deep playoff run is unlikely.
While the Pacers might finish in the top ten, their ceiling could be the play-in tournament. The competition in the East has gotten a lot more intense. Even the better teams on paper are having a difficult time this season.
It will be interesting to see how long they maintain their current form. Their five-game road trip will end on Monday night and they are 2-2 so far on the road.