Bennedict Mathurin led the Indiana Pacers with 25 points to a close 126-121 victory over the Sacramento Kings during Thursday’s NBA action. The Pacers, notably missing several key players, showcased their depth and resilience in the win.
Pascal Siakam, a recent acquisition, had not yet joined the Pacers following his trade from Toronto. Tyrese Haliburton was also absent due to a strained left hamstring, missing his fifth consecutive game. Injuries sidelined Aaron Nesmith (shin) and Andrew Nembhard (back), and Isaiah Jackson exited the game in the first quarter after a head injury.
Mathurin highlighted the team’s collective effort, especially from players with less playing time in previous games. T.J. McConnell contributed significantly with 20 points and 10 assists, while Myles Turner and Jalen Smith added 18 and 17 points, respectively, with Smith also grabbing 13 rebounds.
“Big-time,” Mathurin said. “We were short a lot of guys on the team tonight. I feel like the guys who didn’t play as much the past couple of games pretty much stepped up.”
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Pacers coach Rick Carlisle praised McConnell for setting the game’s tone and Mathurin’s outstanding second-half performance.
“McConnell set the tone,” Carlisle said. “He was in the paint the entire first half and continued attacking it in the second. I thought Mathurin was terrific in the second half as well.”
The Kings, led by Kevin Huerter’s career-high 31 points, including 7-12 from the 3-point line, and Keegan Murray’s 27 points and nine rebounds, suffered their fourth consecutive loss. Domantas Sabonis recorded his third straight triple-double and 12th of the season, with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. De’Aaron Fox added 24 points.
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Kings coach Mike Brown expressed his disappointment with the loss, emphasizing the need for improved defense. Brown stressed the importance of slowing down opposing teams despite their offensive capabilities.
“A loss like this, it should sting,” Brown said. “I know that we can be a better defensive team than what we are. So it has to start there because at the end of the day, we’re going to figure out a way to score. We’ve just got to figure out a way to slow some of these teams down.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers, De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings Updates
Indiana finished the first half strongly with a 12-2 run, leading 70-57. Huerter opened the second half with seven consecutive points, narrowing the gap to 70-64. The Pacers led comfortably late in the game before the Kings mounted a comeback, closing within three points in the final seconds. However, missed opportunities, including a potential tying 3-pointer by Fox and missed free throws by Malik Monk, sealed the Kings’ fate.
“Obviously, you know they’re going to make a run,” Carlisle said. “But through all that, we made some mistakes, but everyone kept their poise, kept encouraging each other, and we got out of here alive.”
The Kings struggled with free throws throughout the game, making only 18-32 attempts, while the Pacers capitalized with a 15-19 performance.
Looking ahead, the Pacers will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, and the Kings will host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
