LAC 115, GSW 110: Bennedict Mathurin Shines in Thriller
Marcus Thompson Jr.
Fire Lieutenant · Golden State Warriors fan
Clippers Survive Warriors in Close One, But the Storyline is Mathurin's Explosion
Final: Clippers 115, Warriors 110
Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. My Warriors got outplayed down the stretch, and it stings. But what I'm really sitting here thinking about is how Bennedict Mathurin just put on a clinic that had me texting the firehouse group chat like a madman. The kid went for 43.8 Yahoo FP on 20/9/8 with efficient shooting, and that's the kind of performance that changes narratives real quick.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennedict Mathurin | 42.0 | 43.8 | 20/9/8 | 17.6/5.4/2.4 | +2.4 |
| Stephen Curry | 40.0 | 38.7 | 24/6/3 | 26.6/3.6/4.7 | -2.6 |
| John Collins | 29.0 | 27.8 | 18/9/0 | 13.6/5.3/1.0 | +4.4 |
| Jordan Miller | 29.0 | 25.8 | 14/4/6 | 10.0/3.0/2.3 | +4.0 |
| Bogdan Bogdanović | 34.0 | 25.6 | 17/3/0 | 7.4/2.6/2.2 | +9.6 |
| Darius Garland | 22.0 | 24.2 | 15/1/6 | 18.8/2.4/6.7 | -3.8 |
| Kristaps Porziņģis | 20.0 | 23.1 | 12/8/1 | 16.7/5.2/2.5 | -4.7 |
| Charles Bassey | 23.0 | 21.6 | 16/3/2 | 5.8/4.4/0.5 | +10.2 |
| Brook Lopez | 16.0 | 18.6 | 7/8/0 | 8.5/3.6/1.3 | -1.5 |
| Kobe Sanders | 19.0 | 17.6 | 11/3/2 | 7.3/2.3/1.6 | +3.7 |
The Mathurin Moment
Bennedict Mathurin was the difference maker here, and I need you to understand what he just did. He's running 17.6 PPG on the season, and tonight he dropped 20. But that's not the story. The story is he added 3.6 assists above his average while running the floor with purpose. 32 minutes of real work. This is what happens when a young dude gets real minutes in a tight game and doesn't blink.
If you've got Mathurin on your roster, he's a hold. If you don't and he's available in your league, we need to talk about waiver priority. He's been inconsistent all year, but games like this show the ceiling is genuinely there. Think early-career Penny Hardaway, not yet all the way there but the talent is undeniable.
Curry Did What He Could (But It Wasn't Enough)
My man Stephen Curry finished with 40 ESPN, 38.7 Yahoo FP on 24 points, but here's the real story: he was -2.6 from his season average on scoring. That's a quiet night by Steph standards. 7-14 shooting is respectable, but in a loss of 5 points? You need him to be exceptional, not just good.
The issue wasn't Steph's fault though. He only played 28 minutes, which tells you the Warriors were getting cooked and had to do weird rotations trying to catch back in. When your MVP-caliber point guard isn't getting extended run in crunch time, that's a roster depth problem, not a Steph problem.
The Depth Played
What jumped out to me was how Charles Bassey (21.6 Yahoo FP) absolutely feasted with 16/3/2 on just 18 minutes. That's +10.2 scoring vs his season average. He shot 5-6. In the right matchup with heavy rebounding, that dude is a real threat off the bench.
On the Clippers side, John Collins (27.8 Yahoo FP) delivered 18/9 in 20 minutes of work. +4.4 scoring vs his average. That's efficient, in-and-out production that helps in leagues counting rebounds.
But here's what I'm thinking: both of these guys benefited from a specific game flow. Bassey won't get 18 minutes every night. Collins' availability is always a question mark. Don't panic add either one thinking they're suddenly fantasy gold. They showed up tonight in the right situation.
The Bogdan Surprise
Bogdan Bogdanović went +9.6 scoring from his season average (17 vs his 7.4). Five threes in 20 minutes. That's not sustainable on his current usage. Sometimes role players just get hot from three in a tight game. Tomorrow, he goes back to normal.
What This Means for Standings
The Warriors didn't have a blowout loss, so this isn't panic territory. But losing at home to the Clippers in a close one? That's the kind of L that stings. For fantasy purposes, Curry owners need depth behind him because he's not getting 35+ minutes in every close game, and Mathurin is officially on the radar as a watch going forward.
The Clippers won ugly, which is actually a good sign for their role guys. Darius Garland (24.2 Yahoo FP) ran the offense with 6 assists, even if his scoring was down 3.8 points. He'll be fine. That's a point guard doing his job in a grind-it-out win.
Bottom Line
This was one of those games where the Clippers' depth won out over Warriors' star power. For fantasy, Mathurin is the add, Curry was solid but not special, and the role players had their moments but shouldn't change how you value them long term. Watch Mathurin's next game though. That kid might be ready to take another step.