Losing Pacers reserve shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin for the year will have an intriguing ripple effect on the team’s bench as it prepares for the postseason, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
Dopirak writes that the team’s reserves are now without two of their top scorers from the start of the season, between Mathurin and Buddy Hield, who was been flipped to the Sixers at the deadline. Forward Doug McDermott, the Pacers’ own sharpshooting acquisition added at the deadline, continues to rehabilitate his right calf strain, though he’ll be a big part of the bench when he does play. Rookies Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker seem likely to get significantly more responsibility as the season winds down.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Workaholic new Pistons veteran power forward Taj Gibson, 38, is over a decade older than most of the team. Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes that the 10-53 team appreciates Gibson’s daily grind, even in his 15th NBA season, and hopes that he can inspire the club’s young, talented lottery pick core. Gibson is on a 10-day deal, so there’s no guarantee he’ll remain with the team for the rest of the season.
- The Pistons’ decision to, at last, allocate separate rotational minutes for young guards Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, seemed to work wonders for Detroit Thursday during a 118-112 win over the Nets, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Head coach Monty Williams opted to employ an intriguing lineup of Cunningham alongside his second unit in the third quarter that really helped the club hold serve against Brooklyn.
- Young Bulls guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu have each taken big leaps in their development this season, White in particular. A lot of their growth has happened with star shooting guard Zach LaVine, the team’s priciest player, sidelined due to injury. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic thinks their improvement could be hurt by a LaVine comeback next year, and wonders if the Chicago front office will look to offload the club.