Bennedict Mathurin’s Pacers’ 127-117 loss to the Cavaliers on Tuesday seemed concerning. But the youngster started his night well. However, frustration took over, and it ended in a way that was miles worse than ever expected. The 22-year-old guard had another strong game, after putting up 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. However, technical fouls and then his getting tossed, had his stat line fade into the background. It’s one of those situations where you think you got it under control. But that’s not the case.

Now, the NBA is stepping in. The league announced on Wednesday night that Mathurin will be suspended for one game without pay. This was for his inappropriate conduct with official Natalie Sago. It will cost him $41,642. At this stage, sparing pocket change is not exactly part of the young guy’s agenda as he tries to make his mark in the league. The game he’ll be missing? Thursday, it’s Indiana Pacers vs. Detroit Pistons! Therefore, Mathurin is going to have to sit out any potential opportunity and reflect on his actions.

It’s tough because Mathurin had been playing well. Really well, in fact. He was one of the bright spots for the Pacers the last game night. But his competitive fire got the better of him, leading to some regrettable decisions. Here’s how it all went down.

Bennedict Mathurin’s infamous moment: From frustration to suspension

The incident that led to Mathurin’s suspension went down with about 3:58 left in the game. He fouled Cleveland’s Evan Mobley near the rim. After the whistle blew, he wasn’t happy with the call. As Mobley went to the free-throw line, though, the Pacer approached referee Natalie Sago, clearly upset. What happened next wasn’t pretty. Mathurin clapped in her face and even bumped into her. That was enough for Sago to hit him with two technical fouls. He was already on thin ice from earlier in the game (more on that later).

The initial technical foul was a bit of a questionable call. Crew chief Zach Zarba later explained that it was assessed because Mathurin was “doing a pull-up or a chin-up on the rim where his whole head was above the rim.” Hey, that’s their official explanation, and it sounds a little bit harsh. But Mathurin seemed unhappy to accept the call, and his frustrations were quite palpable.

The thing is, though, that whatever he did overshadowed what had been a good performance. He was shooting 8 of 12 from the field and 3 of 6 from 3, making a real difference. Of course, all everybody is now talking about is the technical fouls and the suspension.

So, what’s the fallout from all this? Well, Mathurin will be missing Thursday’s game against the Pistons. That suspension will cost him heavily. The Pacers are going to get a tax variance credit of $20,821 for the situation. But, of course, the bigger question is how this affects Mathurin personally and how it will impact the Indiana side moving forward.

Bennedict’s apology to Natalie Sago after the game didn’t seem to soften the blow much. He admitted it was a “moment” of frustration.

The star went on to say, “The game is so intense, especially myself – being this competitive, I just want to win. It was an unfortunate situation, but I was able to learn from it.” While that sentiment is understandable, you can’t let emotions get the better of you, especially when you’re representing a professional franchise.

Looking ahead: Will this affect Mathurin’s role?

Bennedict Mathurin has been a significant contributor to the Pacers this season. This has been especially true with forward Aaron Nesmith being out with an ankle injury. He’s been starting in place of Nesmith and has given the team quite a scoring punch. While this suspension will throw him off his rhythm, they will need him to come back on fire for Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Indiana has shown some flashes this season. They’ll need everybody on deck to keep fighting for that playoff spot.

The moral of the story here is that Bennedict Mathurin, a young dynamo, needs to learn to harness such a competitive fire without burning his team. It’s easy to get swept up in the moment, especially when trying your hardest. But there will always be repercussions.

In the end, however, Mathurin’s suspension may be just a short-term setback. But it’s a valuable learning moment for the young Wildcats alum. Hopefully, he can return to the court with a clearer head and an even stronger focus!