Miami Heat star wing Norman Powell lit up his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, during Monday’s 140-123 home victory.
Afterward, the first-time All-Star hopeful bluntly addressed LA’s struggles since its three-team offseason trade involving the Utah Jazz that relocated him to Miami.
Norman Powell Makes Feelings Clear About Clippers After Heat’s Blowout Win
Following a career year in which he finished second in scoring (21.8 points per game) on a 50-win LA squad, Powell was unexpectedly dealt for forward John Collins in early July.
The organization hoped the move would provide it with a much-needed injection of frontcourt athleticism and versatility. Instead, Collins has delivered inconsistent production, with the Clippers’ aging core sorely missing Powell’s slashing and shot creation.
Their troubles deepened on Monday, as they were thoroughly dominated by Miami, trailing by as many as 38 points en route to a 17-point defeat, marking their fifth straight loss. The Heat pulled away behind a 30-2 second-quarter run that turned a two-point deficit into a 26-point advantage.
Powell led the way, finishing with a team-high 30 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and six 3-pointers, while shooting an efficient 12-for-18 (66.7%). The 11-year veteran was one of four Miami players to tally 22-plus points (Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Andrew Wiggins) as the team matched its franchise record for triples in a single game, shooting a blistering 24-for-46 (52.2%).
With their victory, the Heat (14-7) improved to third in the Eastern Conference. Conversely, LA’s latest letdown dropped it to 5-16, tied for the second-worst mark in the Western Conference.
That’s a far cry from preseason projections that pegged the Clippers as a possible West sleeper, a fall-off even Powell didn’t see coming. Nevertheless, the 32-year-old appears to have fully moved on from his ex-team.
“I would have never guessed they were gonna be 5-16 and where they’re at right now,” Powell said postgame. “That’s something for them to have to deal with and handle. I’m not worried about them anymore.”
In the wake of his fourth 30-point outing of the season, Powell is averaging a career-high 25.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.2 3-pointers per game on elite 50.9/45.8/88.3 shooting splits.
Considering the modest price Miami paid to acquire him (Kevin Love and
Kyle Anderson), he has easily been one of the offseason’s best acquisitions. The offensive-minded wing’s continued ascension could also set him up for a lucrative payday, as he’s slated to enter unrestricted free agency next summer.
Powell and Co. will look to build on Monday’s well-rounded showing during Wednesday’s road clash against the Dallas Mavericks (7-15).