INGLEWOOD — It was a homecoming for some, a home debut for another and a house party for Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin on Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers.
Former Clippers Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown were back at the Intuit Dome after being traded a month ago, receiving a warm welcome from Clippers fans, while those same fans got their first look at new point guard Darius Garland.
And Garland, who came to the Clippers from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for James Harden, didn’t disappoint the home crowd.
But it was Mathurin who was most excited to see his former teammates, many of whom he played with in his three-plus seasons with the Pacers. The No. 6 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft was traded to the Clippers in exchange for Zubac, Brown and draft picks.
“They’re not my friends, not tonight anyway,” he said before he went out and torched the Pacers for 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting to go with eight rebounds.
Amid the reunions and tributes, the Clippers had a game to play against the short-handed Pacers and came away with a 130-107 victory to move within one game of .500 at 30-31.
Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including three 3-pointers, and had eight rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes. Brook Lopez added 17 points, while Derrick Jones Jr. scored 12 and Garland finished with 12 points, eight assists and four rebounds in 24 minutes in his second game with his new team.
Garland, who didn’t play for three months, gave himself a “B or B-minus” for his play, especially his ball handling.
“I just need some gym time. I need to be in the gym, work on my ball handling because that’s shaky right now,” Garland said. “And then just knocking off some rust, just trying to get in game shape, trying to compete at a high level on a defensive event as well. So yeah, I give myself a B, B-minus or somewhere around there. (A) passing grade, though.”
The Pacers overcame a 23-point deficit in the first half to cut the Clippers’ lead to 67-60 with 8:57 left in the third before Leonard and Lopez went on a 16-2 run to extend the lead to 83-62 at the 5:11 mark.
The Clippers – who are now 24-10 since Dec. 20 – continued to outplay Indiana and pushed the lead to 100-71 with 42 seconds left in the third. The Pacers (15-46) didn’t come close in the final quarter, trailing by as much as 37 points.
“I thought we did a good job whenever we kind of lost that focus for a second,” Lopez said. “Regathering and taking a moment and then getting back out there and obviously trying to get that win, doing what we needed. That’s what it’s all about.”
Zubac and Brown found many friends in the building on their return a month after being traded to the Pacers. Both players’ spaces in the visitors’ locker room were decorated with pictures of their time with the Clippers.
Zubac played for the Clippers for seven-plus seasons, where he established himself as a premier center, a mainstay of the team’s interior defense and a fan favorite. He was clearly remembered by the crowd, which gave him a rousing ovation after watching a video tribute.
“It was tough when he (Zubac) left and I’m glad the fans really showed their appreciation,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “I’m glad the players and coaches and staff really show their appreciation for him because he deserves it.”
Zubac didn’t play Wednesday because of the left ankle sprain he suffered in the Clippers’ Dec. 20 victory over the Lakers. He tried to play through the injury before the trade deadline, but the Pacers have opted to rest the big man. He is expected to play at some point this season, but “he’s not there yet,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.
Brown, the No. 30 pick by the Clippers in the 2023 draft, came off the bench and had five points and two rebounds.
After the former players got their flowers and Mathurin got a look at his former teammates, the Clippers went to work dismantling the Pacers, running out to a 23-point first-half lead before the Pacers closed the gap with a 14-3 run late in the second quarter.
By halftime, the Clippers’ lead had been sliced to 63-51.
The Pacers came into the game on a six-game losing streak and sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. But Carlisle wasn’t throwing in the towel.
“There’s more growth to be had by this roster, particularly the younger guys,” Carlisle said. “And we have some very competitive games down the stretch.”
Leading scorer Pascal Siakam, who missed the past three games because of a left wrist sprain, led the Pacers’ attack, scoring 21of his team-high 29 points before halftime. Indiana remains without Tyrese Haliburton, who is missing the entire season after suffering a torn Achilles in the NBA Finals last June.
Not all the news was good for the Clippers. Rookie center Yanic Konan Niederhauser left the game after injuring his ankle while landing awkwardly while attempting to block a shot in the second quarter. He had six points and four rebounds.
Lue said it’s always tough to watch a young player, who is playing well, get injured.
“He’s gotten better each week, just getting better and better,” Lue said. “And to see this happen, not sure the timetable or how long it’s going to be, but when he’s playing, he has made an impact every single night. We saw his impact tonight.”
NOTES
The Clippers shot 12.2 percentage points better from the field (55.1%) than the Pacers (42.9%). … Norchad Omier had only one basket but according to the Clippers, became the first Nicaraguan to score in the NBA.
