Clippers
Bennedict Mathurin made a statement in his home debut with the Clippers, and what a debut it was. Coming off the bench, Mathurin lit up the scoreboard with 38 points in just 34 minutes, propelling the Clippers to a thrilling one-point victory over the Nuggets. His shooting was on point, nailing 12 of 22 from the field and an impressive 12 of 13 from the charity stripe, tying his career high.
Kawhi Leonard couldn't help but praise his new teammate, saying, “It’s great to have another scorer that can get you 30 points. I watched him in the Finals last year.
He was doing it all year.” The Clippers brought Mathurin in for his scoring prowess, and he delivered right from the start.
Bulls
The Bulls faced a bit of a numbers crunch on Thursday, and unfortunately for Jaden Ivey, he was the odd man out. With Josh Giddey and Tre Jones making their return from injuries, Ivey found himself sidelined with his first DNP-CD. Assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr., stepping in for Billy Donovan, described it as “strictly a basketball decision.”
The rotation favored seasoned players like Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton, despite Chicago's recent trade-deadline moves hinting at a shift towards younger talent. Ivey mentioned some lingering knee soreness, admitting he's not quite at his peak physically. Whether this was just a one-off or something more significant remains to be seen.
Blazers
Cissoko has hit the 50-game limit on his two-way deal, and he's been making the most of it. He's become a regular fixture in the rotation, starting 24 games and providing solid wing defense. Meanwhile, Rupert, at just 21, will be eligible for a two-way deal if he clears waivers, offering a glimpse into the Blazers' future plans.