Bennedict

Mathurin

Mathurin has been ruled out for the entirety of the Clippers’ upcoming three-game road trip that begins Wednesday against the Pelicans. The 23-year-old small forward is dealing with an injury to the big toe on his right foot. Whether Kawhi Leonard (ankle) plays on the upcoming road trip or not, John Collins will have a higher fantasy ceiling with Mathurin sidelined.

Mathurin came off the bench on Monday and concluded as one of the Clippers’ highest scorers on the evening. He was somewhat inefficient from the floor, got to the line often, and struggled from beyond the arc, things that have been consistent during his brief tenure as a Clipper. Still, he provides the team with real scoring upside and has continued to log heavy minutes for head coach Ty Lue. Given his workload, he’s got nightly potential to put up relevant performances as far as fantasy basketball is concerned.

The Clippers won’t have Kawhi Leonard (ankle) for Monday’s game, leaving a massive void in the starting lineup. Collins, who was a starter before head and neck injuries sidelined him last month, returns to the starting lineup. He and Bennedict Mathurin will have higher ceilings in Leonard’s absence, given the Clippers’ need for more offense.

Injured during Saturday’s loss to the Kings, Leonard is officially out for Monday’s matchup with the Spurs. Bennedict Mathurin and John Collins are the players with the most to gain regarding usage, with one likely moving into the starting lineup.

Leonard sprained his left ankle during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss to the Kings. With their top scorer not appearing likely to play on Monday, the Clippers will need more production from Bennedict Mathurin and John Collins, with one of those two moving into the starting lineup.

Mathurin extended his streak of 20-point games to five on Saturday, and he may be thrust into a more prominent role to begin Week 21. Kawhi Leonard left Saturday’s game early in the fourth quarter after spraining his left ankle, which could rob the Clippers of their best player. Mathurin may not be a lock to start if Leonard misses time, but his scoring ability will be needed. The Clippers play four games in Week 21, starting with the Spurs on Monday.

Leonard, who suffered a cut over his left eye during the first half of Saturday’s game, had to exit after injuring his left ankle early in the fourth quarter. His absence means that the Clippers will need more offensive production from Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin. Leonard finished with 31 points (13-of-23 FGs, 3-of-6 FTs), six rebounds, two steals and two three-pointers.

Mathurin extended his streak of games with at least 20 points to four on Friday, and he did so while shooting over 50 percent from the field. And he did most of his damage after halftime, scoring 19 of his 26 points. Since the All-Star break, Mathurin has averaged 21.1 points per game on 44.8 percent shooting from the field. His category league ceiling is somewhat limited because of the lack of production in three-pointers and defensive stats, but Mathurin has been a solid option since joining the Clippers.

Mathurin continued his recent 20-point run with another solid showing against the Timberwolves, making it four of the last five games in which he’s exceeded that mark. The Clippers guard scored 10 of his 22 points from the foul line on Wednesday, and all that was missing from the final stat line was a blocked shot. The Clippers still have two more games in Week 20, which is good news for fantasy managers who have Mathurin on their roster.

Mathurin has scored at least 21 points in three of his last four games. The 28 points in Monday’s win were the most for him since dropping a season-high 38 on the Nuggets in the Clippers’ first game out of the All-Star break. Mathurin has been close to a top-100 player in eight-cat formats since the break, providing excellent value off the bench on most nights. With the Clippers’ remaining Week 20 schedule including games against the Bulls and Kings, there could be at least one more big night in Mathurin’s immediate future.