Dunn shares high praise for new teammate Bennedict Mathurin following the team's win over the Houston Rockets heading into the All-Star break.
The Los Angeles Clippers pulled off a gutsy 105-102 comeback win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night to close out the first half of their season.
After falling behind by 13 points in the fourth quarter, the Clippers rattled off a 24-4 run to take control, with Kawhi Leonard scoring 19 of his 27 points in the final period to seal the deal.
One of the biggest stories of the night, though, was the continued growth of Bennedict Mathurin in his new home.
The 23-year-old, who came over from the Indiana Pacers as part of the Ivica Zubac deadline deal, scored 16 points with three rebounds, three assists and three steals in just his second game with the team.
His energy and willingness to attack the rim stood out, and his teammates have taken notice.
Dunn Speaks on His New Teammate
After the win, Clippers guard Kris Dunn did not hold back when asked about what Mathurin brings to this group.
"His grittiness....He can make plays on and off the ball...he's just another player that can go out there and really help on both sides of the court," Dunn said.
That kind of two-way praise from Dunn carries weight.
The veteran guard has been the heartbeat of this Clippers team all season, playing the most games on the roster with 52 while averaging 7.9 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
Dunn had 16 points and six assists against Houston on Wednesday, and he has been one of the best perimeter defenders in the league this year.
Leonard's fourth-quarter takeover may have closed the game out, but it was the defensive effort from guys like Dunn and Mathurin that sparked the comeback.
When a player like Dunn talks about a teammate's ability to help on both sides of the court, it says a lot about what the coaching staff and locker room see in Mathurin.
A New Chapter After the Deadline Shakeup
The Clippers completely reshaped their roster at the trade deadline when they moved James Harden and Zubac in back-to-back deals.
Harden went to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland, and Zubac was sent to Indiana for Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and multiple first-round picks.
It was a shocking pivot for a team that had just won 17 of 21 games and looked like a legitimate playoff contender.
Since the trades, the Clippers have gone 3-1 and head into the All-Star break at 26-28, a far cry from the 6-21 hole they dug early in the season.
The Houston Rockets sit at 33-20 after Wednesday's loss, so getting a win on the road against a team of that caliber shows this group still has fight.
Mathurin is putting up 17.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game this season between Indiana and Los Angeles, and at just 23 years old, he fits perfectly into the younger direction the front office is building toward.
With Garland still waiting to make his debut and Leonard continuing to play at an All-Star level, the pieces are there for the Clippers to make things interesting in the second half.
For now, Dunn and the rest of the roster are focused on the identity they have been building all year, one that starts on the defensive end and relies on everyone doing their part.
Mathurin looks like he is ready to be a big piece of that.