Raptors: Powell moves to second unit and shows he has plenty in reserve
It’s not so much a demotion as it is a new opportunity, and Norm Powell may be young but he’s been around long enough to treat it like that.
Powell has become an integral part of one of the best benches in the NBA, no longer a starter with the Raptors but still a valuable contributor and a much-needed part.
“I think Norman likes that, he’s kind of the star of the show with that second group,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.
“He’s done a good job of adapting and going with both groups (but), with Delon (Wright) out, he’s a natural fit with that group and he’s done a good job.”
Powell’s move to the second unit didn’t come because of any deficien- cies in his game. He got hurt — a hip-pointer that sidelined him for four games — and when rookie OG Anunoby filled in admirably as a starter and Wright got hurt, it was only logical that the 23-year-old swingman continue coming off the bench.
Powell had averaged almost 16 points a game in that role, shooting better than 50 per cent from the floor and almost 50 per cent from threepoint range in three games before the Raptors faced the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.
“It’s just playing my role to the best of my abilities,” Powell said Wednesday morning. “Me coming off the bench, it doesn’t matter. I’m not mad, I’m not upset. It’s my role and I’m going to do what I have to do to help the team win.
“(If) they put me back in the starting lineup, I’m going to do what I have to do to help the team win. I’m just trying to be as productive as I can and make winning plays as much as I can.”
If there is some regression to Anunoby’s play, or another injury, Powell may find himself starting again. But Casey seems determined to leave things as they are until that happens.
“I like the way Norm is playing, the gait he’s playing at, the focus he’s trying to play with, cutting down on the turnovers, finishing,” Casey said. “I like that. He’s got to just continue to grow. We sometimes put him in the league with the older players but he’s still a young, growing learning player in our league.”
Powell’s three-point proficiency of late is especially helpful to C.J. Miles, the other shooting threat with the second unit.
If Powell keeps firing at a high rate, Miles is sure to get better looks and less defensive attention.
“I wanted to make sure I was in a rhythm,” Powell said of his postinjury return. “I came back stronger, I didn’t lose a step. And that’s important because I know the minutes are going to be coming and there is no excuse for me not be out there and play my game and play with confidence.”
The trickle-down effect is that the responsibilities on Anunoby aren’t quite as great, especially offensively. If he’s on the floor with starters like DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, he doesn’t have to worry about scoring, he can concentrate on defending the top wing on the other team and learning the nuances of the game.
“Those guys help him,” Casey said. “Kyle’s talking to him, DeMar talks to him . . . He makes mistakes, he gets back-cut sometimes but he’s learning. You can see the wheels turning when he gets in those situations, thinking.
“When it becomes natural, that’s when the young man is really going to take off. He’s way ahead of the curve right now where he is. He learns every day, picks up stuff quickly, we’re really excited where he is.”