With Kawhi Leonard expected to miss time due to injury and the cost-cutting measure of moving on from Paul George, expectations were not high for the Los Angeles Clippers heading into this season. No one told Norman Powell. In fact, he saw the George move as the perfect opportunity for him and other role players to take a big step forward.
“I saw it as addition by subtraction. Like I said, more guys get more opportunities, not only myself. I was excited,” Powell said ahead of the season.
He has taken that at ran with his increased opportunities. Powell has career highs in most statistical categories and helped lead the team to an 18-13 record in sixth place in the Western Conference.
Clippers, Norman Powell Named Possible NBA Most Improved Player
This has the national media taking notice of his spectacular contribution. In his recent article; Most interesting NBA Awards, Fred Katz singles out Powell as the current leader for Most Improved Player;
“Is a vast improvement in shot-making the way to determine the victor?” Katz writes. “If so, the LA Clippers’ Norman Powell is the current favorite, but it’s still early enough and Powell’s scoring numbers (24.1 points per game and 47 percent 3-point shooting on 8.1 attempts a night) are so through the roof that there must be some regression on the way — though it’s not like Powell is putting up empty numbers. The Clippers are winning more than anyone could have expected, and their offense is more than 10 points per 100 possessions better with Powell on the court, according to Cleaning the Glass.”
While Katz puts Powell in the current pole position for the award, he picks Atlanta Hawks’ Jalen Johnson ahead of Powell on his ballot, as he sees him as the more sustainable performance. But Powell still comes in at second if his most astounding numbers come back to earth.
The big question now looming for Powell is, how will Kawhi Leonard’s return to the lineup from injury effect Powell’s role and production?