The LA Clippers dropped their second game out of the All-Star break against Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers, but fought until the final buzzer despite being shorthanded and feeling slighted by some of the officiating in the contest.
In just his fourth game with the team, Bennedict Mathurin scored 26 points off the bench to go along with seven rebounds and two assists. He continued a hot-scoring start to his stint with the franchise he was traded to at the NBA trade deadline. He also fouled out of the game late in the fourth quarter and picked up a costly technical foul.
With 7:35 remaining in the second quarter and the Lakers leading 54-42, Bennedict Mathurin was fouled by Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt. Mathurin appeared to push him off, and the game officials responded by issuing a technical foul to the Clippers guard.
Jarred Vanderbilt should be fined for flopping https://t.co/nIEgX7sKvh pic.twitter.com/lg0ftTwDim
— BGB♛ (@BonesGotBizzy) February 21, 2026
Mathurin was puzzled with the technical foul, but continued to play through the call. Austin Reaves went on to make the free throw.
The Clippers went on to lose Friday night's game against the Lakers, 125-122.
On Saturday morning, the NBA announced that they would be rescinding the technical foul issued to Bennedict Mathurin. It would reduce his technical foul count for the season and also prevent him from paying a fine, but the free throw made by Reaves ended up playing a crucial part in the end of the game, as the Clippers would not have needed to take a three-pointer on their final shot for the tie.
Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 38 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, and three steals while Austin Reaves scored 29 points with six rebounds and two assists for the Lakers.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers in scoring with 31 points, four rebounds, and five assists while shooting 11-of-19 from the field and 4-of-6 from three. Bennedict Mathurin recorded his 26 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field and 11-of-14 shooting from the free throw line.
The Clippers will move on to face the Orlando Magic on Sunday night, but a lot of questions remain. Will Kawhi Leonard play after leaving the game due to ankle soreness with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter? Will John Collins avoid being placed in the NBA's concussion protocol after taking a nasty spill on a lob attempt late in the first half of Friday's game?
