The Indiana Pacers are about to face their ultimate test of generating offense without Tyrese Haliburton this season, and Bennedict Mathurin may be their solution.
With Haliburton on the shelf due to an Achilles injury, Indiana may not be able to run its fast-paced offense. At the very least, it won't be as dominant.
The Wisconsin native is as great as he is because he can push the tempo, improvise, and set players up perfectly. He is among the best in the NBA at facilitating and playmaking, and he makes everybody around him a lot better.
Indiana is going to struggle a bit without him, even though Andrew Nembhard should be more than capable of running the point for a year.
In order for the team to maintain its status as one of the top offensive units in the league, they need to rely on Mathurin, who will have an opportunity to showcase exactly what makes him so special.
Bennedict Mathurin can step up in Tyrese Haliburton's absence
They don't play the same position, but it is not a stretch to say that Mathurin can help fill the void left by Haliburton's injury.
Without his star guard teammate, the Canadian native should expect to have the ball in his hands a lot more. According to StatMuse, of all eligible players, Mathurin's 22.7% usage rate was the third-best on the team last season. He only trailed Pascal Siakam (24.2%) and T.J. McConnell (23.5%).
Not only is Haliburton going to miss the entire season, but Indiana will also be without McConnell to begin the regular season due to a hamstring injury. This will be a prime opportunity for Mathurin to be more of a ball-handler and do what he does best.
Mathurin is a fantastic scorer. Throughout his first three NBA seasons, he has averaged 15.9 points while shooting 44.6% from the field and 34.2% from beyond the arc.
However, his bread-and-butter is when he can create his own shot and be an iso scorer. This typically doesn't work in Indiana's system on offense.
The team relies on fast-paced ball movement, making quick decisions, and pushing the tempo. Mathurin operates differently, though, making him less than an ideal fit with the team.
However, with no Haliburton, the Pacers are going to need players to make the most out of their opportunities with the ball. Because of this, they should lean on the Arizona alum, who excels at doing exactly that.
Pacers will still face challenges relying on Bennedict Mathurin more
There are challenges to giving Mathurin this much more usage. He has been described as a "ball-stopper," and, even with Nembhard running the point, this might make it difficult for Indiana to find its rhythm offensively. Additionally, he is not much of a passer, even as a non-point guard.
Still, in a season that is all about experimentation for the Pacers, it will be crucial for the team to let Mathurin do what makes him great.
As it stands, the Pacers are looking to remain legitimate playoff contenders, despite what many are anticipating. However, it is going to be difficult for them to do so as Haliburton will not be setting up opportunities for everybody.
This is where Mathurin comes in, and it's why he will be important to their success this season.
Mathurin is about to take on the biggest role of his career yet. Whether he will be up for it or not remains to be seen. However, things are looking good early on. And, if the Pacers let him loose, he may establish himself as a long-time contributor for the team.
Will this happen? It's too early to tell. But, currently, the Pacers may not have another choice but to try and see exactly what he is made of.