As franchise centerpiece, Kawhi Leonard finally discovered his way back to the court, the LA Clippers will be expected to push for 16 wins in the NBA playoffs. Rightfully so, they have a former MVP in James Harden to go along with Leonard and a thriving duo of stars in Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac.
Although Leonard’s dominance will take time to develop, he certainly holds real estate on the scouting report of coaches around the NBA. These opponents are well aware of his abilities and plan accordingly.
Moreover, little time remains before the six-time all-star builds a rhythm and tears apart his competition on both ends of the court. He is strong, lengthy, and athletic, making him a tough task for defenders of different sizes and strengths.
Conversely, Powell will see the short end of the stick in Leonard’s return. Though he is used to the ball being in his hands, the former UCLA Bruin must find new strategies to score, as the two-time defensive player of the year will be the offensive source in half-court sets.
Norman Powell’s shot attempts will take a notable hit, with Kawhi Leonard scoring big for the LA Clippers.
Though Norman Powell’s scoring duties were questioned, he used his new role as motivation and rose as a candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. This capitalized on his work ethic and mentality in games, practice, and team meetings with coaches and trainers.
Furthermore, Kawhi Leonard’s emergence will inevitably take away from Powell’s shot attempts on all three levels. This is completely justifiable, as Leonard is a top-ten offensive talent when healthy.
In 29 games, Powell is averaging 23.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on nearly 50-40 splits. Attempts-wise, he is firing 16.9 shots per contest, including 8.1 from beyond the arc.
Powell’s looks from three could remain the same, but his shots in the painted area will certainly decrease. This is due to Leonard’s unstoppable midrange, as he can school any defender who thinks they have a chance.
There is a world where these two coexist, as teams send double teams toward Leonard. However, Lue will utilize the triangle offense for his superstar, which eliminates Powell from being the focal point of the offense.
That said, Powell will remain a factor in the active rotation. Lue will need him to score at a high volume, just in different ways, with Leonard on the floor.