Right when the Trail Blazers bartered him to the LA Clippers, fans were convinced Norman Powell would crush any role he was delegated to. Powell has played as a starter and sixth man and has constantly been better than anticipated.
In the second unit last season, Clipper Nation was deeply disgruntled that Powell was disrespected in the Sixth Man of the Year competition. He was a winning player in LA and had better statistics than most, yet he was disregarded when the NBA chose their finalists.
In 76 games, Powell averaged 13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on 62.6% true shooting. Conversely, he was fourth in voting.
Moreover, the instant Paul George signed with the 76ers, head coach Tyronn Lue threw Powell's sixth-man commitments out the window. He was now the guy who would have plays drawn up for him to start games and after timeouts.
These stirred his breakout, where he currently averages 22.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 53 games. His usage increased by 6.9% from last season, and his true shooting remained somewhat identical.
However, one of the more undervalued reasons he has erupted as a scorer is his movement on the perimeter. Lue has Powell playing in his style with minor tweaks, leading him to fire up more attempts from a distance.
LA Clippers' star Norman Powell being in motion has given him more space on the perimeter
More attempts at all three levels come with an evident leap in usage, especially for a destructive, downhill scorer like Norman Powell. When determined to put points on the board, Powell usually completes possessions with a bucket, assist, or tickets to the charity strike.
From three, Powell is taking 2.3 more per game than last season. This may be normal, but the premiere scorer builds space in distinct ways when jotting down the differences in his new role.
Tyronn Lue and the coaching staff deserve credit for this, as they have Powell working around screens. Depending on the defender's judgment, he spontaneously dictates where to go with the ball.
In addition, Lue has the 2019 champion on the move, flying in different directions, which generates wide open gaps. His quick release does not give the defense any spare time to throw up a contest.
Lue had Paul George playing this way, but Powell benefited through 'addition by subtraction' when he left. This simple adjustment kindled a career year.