Norman Powell Is a Vital Part of the Raptors Success

Powell plays a key role off the bench for Toronto, and proved in the Milwaukee series that he’s a force to be reckoned with

Red Rock

Norman Powell adds a spark to the Raptors lineup when they need it most. He’s the go to guy off the bench, and hardly ever disappoints. This was evident in the series against the Bucks where he opened eyes with several impressive performances, especially in Game Five when he dropped 25 to lead the Raps to a big win over Milwaukee.

Energy

Powell brings an energy on the court that I haven’t seen out of Demar Derozan or Kyle Lowry. Sure, they’re pure scorers, but they don’t put the type of pressure on defenses like Powell does. You make the other team make mistakes when you put pressure on them. In Game 1 against the Cavs, Toronto stunk from beyond the arc, but Powell did hit two of their three pointers, consecutive 3’s, to open the fourth quarter. He also creates more room for both Derozan and Lowry, which will create more scoring opportunities for those two. Cleveland was near the bottom of the league defensively in the second half of the season. If Powell can score and create more opportunities for his teammates, it’s going to make a difference.

He’s the reason the momentum shifted in the series against the Bucks. Both Lowry and Derozan weren’t scoring, and after the humiliating loss in Game 3 to Milwaukee, Powell made a huge difference in game four off the bench. For a second year player, it’s very impressive to see the maturity level he brings to the court. Powell only started 18 games for the Raptors during the regular season, averaging 15.6 points per game. But if the Raptors want a chance at contending with Lebron James and the Cavs in this series, best believe they need to start Norman Powell.

Get him minutes at the start

I’m not saying the Raptors have to play Powell the entire game. But if you have him on the court from tip off, there’s a fiery energy on the court and I believe that can propel the Raptors to get off to a fast start. You need guys who are spark plugs for your team, and Normal Powell is exactly that for Toronto. For opposing defenses, the focus is usually Lowry and Derozan. When you have Powell on the court too, it’s a hidden weapon that the Cavs won’t be guarding as closely as the other two. Powell hit 10 of his 11 shots from downtown against the Bucks in Round One. Alone, that’s 30 points accounted for from one guy just from shots beyond the arc.

Powell has proven that he can score, but as they say, defense wins championships. I believe his defense can play a vital role in the success of the Raptors in this series. Along with his ability to hit some big 3’s from deep, he can really make a difference in this series for Toronto.