The Indiana Pacers dropped their eighth straight game on Monday, yet there was at least one encouraging development despite the defeat to the surging Detroit Pistons.
As Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star notes, Bennedict Mathurin made a strong return after being sidelined for 11 contests with a toe sprain, erupting for 23 of his 25 points after halftime.
Mathurin emphasized that the team still believes it can shift the momentum of the season.
“We’re 1-13 right now,” Mathurin said. “There’s teams in the NBA that have won 10 games in a row. Why can’t we be the team that wins 10 games in a row? It’s just about believing. It’s just about doing what’s right for our team. … People act like it’s the end of the world.
“If we were 1-57 I’d say maybe, but it’s 1-13. We’ve played 14 games. It’s not even 15% percent of the season, so I’m still positive, man.”
His optimism is mirrored by center Isaiah Jackson, who echoed the idea that a turnaround can start with something as simple as a spark.
“I think energy is everything,” he said. “One guy gets going and it can give us a spark. I think that’s all you need. We’re just gonna continue to keep going.”
Eastern Notes: Mathurin, Embiid, George, Ivey, Risacher https://t.co/ad1OakMqdL pic.twitter.com/2ufjwNNUVh
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 19, 2025
