The new era in Inglewood may have found its spark plug.
In just his third appearance in a Clippers uniform, Bennedict Mathurin delivered a season-high 38 points in his home debut to power the Los Angeles Clippers to a razor-thin 115-114 victory over the Denver Nuggets at the Intuit Dome on Thursday night.
Acquired at the trade deadline, Mathurin didn’t just score — he closed. With 9.1 seconds remaining and the Clippers clinging to a one-point edge, the 23-year-old calmly sank two free throws to stretch the lead to three, setting up a frantic final possession.
Denver nearly stole the script. Jamal Murray was fouled on a desperation three-point attempt with 0.9 seconds left, earning a chance to tie. He knocked down the first two free throws but missed the third — the ball caroming off the rim as the buzzer sounded, sealing the Clippers’ narrow escape.
The performance marked a statement moment for Mathurin, who is quickly carving out a featured role alongside Kawhi Leonard. Leonard added 23 points and extended his streak of 20-point games to 34 straight, providing his usual blend of efficiency and late-game composure.
The win snapped a brief two-game home skid and underscored the Clippers’ surge since late December. Los Angeles has gone 21-7 since Dec. 20, climbing to ninth in the Western Conference and firmly planting itself in the play-in conversation.
Support arrived from across the rotation. Derrick Jones Jr. poured in 22 points, while John Collins anchored the interior with 11 points and 12 rebounds. The Clippers’ balanced attack proved crucial against a Denver side that leaned heavily on its stars.
Nikola Jokic finished with 22 points, 17 rebounds and six assists, falling short of a fifth straight triple-double. Murray tallied 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Bruce Brown added 19 for a Nuggets team that has stumbled to 2-5 since Feb. 1.
Tempers flared early in the fourth quarter when Jonas Valanciunas got tangled with Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Mathurin and Kris Dunn in a physical sequence that led to three technical fouls — two assessed to Los Angeles. Denver converted one technical free throw to knot the game at 83-all, setting the stage for a tense finish.
The Clippers had to grind back after trailing by nine early. An 8-0 closing run in the first quarter flipped momentum, though Denver still carried a 52-45 halftime lead behind Brown’s 17 first-half points. Mathurin already had 18 by the break, foreshadowing the offensive burst to come.
Injury absences remain a subplot for both sides. Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson continue to sit out with hamstring issues for Denver. For the Clippers, newly acquired Darius Garland has yet to debut as he recovers from a toe injury following the blockbuster deal that sent James Harden to Cleveland.
But on this night, the spotlight belonged to Mathurin — aggressive in transition, confident off the dribble and fearless at the stripe. For a Clippers team chasing postseason positioning in a crowded West, his arrival may prove more than a midseason adjustment.
It may be the jolt that changes their ceiling.