Norman Powell is infinitely important to this team
When General Manager Neil Olshey and the Portland Trail Blazers traded away up-and-coming sniper Gary Trent Jr. for the then-Toronto Raptor, Norman Powell, the move was fairly scrutinized.
Why would a team already featuring two small guards in Dame and CJ trade for another 6’3 veteran? Well, Powell made quick work answering that question last year.
Unable to find the perfect defensive swingman next to his superstar backcourt, Olshey swung for the fences by trading for another guard — one with the defensive chops to hopefully survive at the three-spot, despite a very limited frame.
It’s still certainly not ideal to have a 6’3 small forward in a league so driven by athletic marvels at the position, but Powell is holding his ground better than anybody could expect him to.
Not only does he give the Blazers the option to start three guards with his defensive capabilities, he adds energy, reliable deep shooting, and a new element of offensive versatility that Portland sorely missed in the two games he sat with patellar tendinopathy.
Norm gives the Blazers another player who can create his own shot when the offense gets bogged down. With Portland in a cold spell — a sight that’s been uncomfortably too common so far this season — Powell drilled three triples in the second quarter. Those snipes gave him nine of the Blazers 17 points in over seven minutes. He finished with 12 points, all of which came from beyond the arc.
Powell was one of the few reasons that the Blazers found themselves up eight at the half instead of trailing.