Everything Norman Powell

[ReubenJRD]

I like it (and I like it for a decent minutes lineup regardless) as a starting lineup except for two things.

One, Serge Ibaka. If he's playing exclusively as a bench C, he's either getting 20 MPG at most or JV is playing way too little (even before any Siakam at C craziness or Monroe minutes enter the equation). One seems unlikely to sit well with him, the other seems a real bad idea.

Two, OG Anunoby. He's coming off his rookie year, and as strong as he is, I'd like to shield him from starting PFs a good bit if possible. So I'd still play him in those transitional lineups as a 4, but I'd like to see a good number of his minutes come on the wing, where he's leveraging his quickness to keep up with a wing rather than his strength to keep up with a big. Just seems like less wear and tear over the course of the season. Same reason why I want to almost exclusively use Kawhi as a wing, not a forward, because we have options there that prevent him from having to take on that physical load over a long season.

100% agree.

You can put me down on record as saying starting OG at PF is an awful idea. Could not think of a worse way to ruin his career than by routinely making him defend bigger, stronger, starting calibre players. I know the position is moving towards longer and more perimeter oriented guys, but you still have the likes of Griffin, Morris, Horford, Love etc...and that's just in the East. Imo, OG at PF should only be used in specific situations. His strength is in guarding the perimeter, not the post. His health should be of high importance to the Raptors current and future.

Now, to counter both points, I agree -- I think OG with extended time at the four is not a solution. I like his ability to exploit certain matchups and opposing lineups, because he does have the strength, quickness, size, and the length to matchup.

Only reason I say to start him there, is because of the rotation. I fully expect Nurse to have a different rotation each and every night, with OG playing more minutes as a wing than not. However, his physical abilities and shooting provides an advantage that gives Kawhi, Lowry, and JV the focus offensively. Defensively, they'll be able to switch -- this is, to me, an ideal lineup against the Warriors, the Rockets, the Celtics (IF they start Brown/Hayward/Tatum), the Bucks.

Sure, it's a lineup that will not work against the Cavs (K. Love), the Pistons (Griffin), the Celtics (IF Baynes starts at 5, Horford at the 4), or maybe the Sixers (Saric at the 4). But, as I mentioned, the top tier, championship-calibre teams routinely play small, which is why it's ideal to me. I'm not worried about OG vs. Griffin, because it's not a matchup that'll determine the league's fate -- Nurse would likely start Ibaka.

I don't think he'll "routinely" be guarding bigger, stronger, starting calibre players at all. In fact, I think the guys who will be doing that, are Siakam, Ibaka, and at times, Monroe, if the opposing matchup is a traditional big (yes, I know he's awful defensively).

Again, that is my ideal lineup, and the one I'd favour each and every night. HOWEVER, I fully expect the lineup to fluctuate between:

Lowry-Green-Kawhi-OG or Ibaka (depending on the opposing matchup) - and JV.

[Tmac2darak]

Most is just a summation of what's been said but interesting nonetheless for these dog days....

Still too early for Toronto to give up on Norman Powell https://www.raptorshq.com/2018/9/15/...oting-playoffs via @raptorshq

[Jclaw]

Kawhi sitting beside Norm as part of the San Diego connection.

— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) September 25, 2018

....and so it begins

[KeonClark]

Kawhi sitting beside Norm as part of the San Diego connection.

— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) September 25, 2018

....and so it begins

If Kawhi resigns norm should get 6th man of the year...even if he doesn't play

[Hotshot]

If Kawhi resigns norm should get 6th man of the year...even if he doesn't play

Who says now we overpayed to re-sign Norm?! Never doubt Masai lol

[golden]

Who says now we overpayed to re-sign Norm?! Never doubt Masai lol

Masai works in mysterious ways.

[KeonClark]

Who says now we overpayed to re-sign Norm?! Never doubt Masai lol

Are you saying he lives 2 years ahead of the rest of us because he definitely lives 2 years ahead of the rest of us

[planetmars]

Does Malachi Richardson have any ties to Giannis?

[The Great One]

Norm is now the most important player on this team after Kawhi. Sorry Kyle, sorry JV.

[Demographic Shift]

Does Malachi Richardson have any ties to Giannis?

No.. but if Drake can take Giannas to the Danforth before the clubs ... Oppa !!!

[Hotshot]

Are you saying he lives 2 years ahead of the rest of us because he definitely lives 2 years ahead of the rest of us

Norm might be the key to keeping Kawhi long terms..
http://giphy.com/gifs/reaction-BmmfETghGOPrW

[Hotshot]

Kawhi Leonard happy to be back on a court playing basketball ��https://t.co/wE9S9gyXWI pic.twitter.com/3159Y1PpmT

— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) September 26, 2018

[inthepaint]

When we play teams like Orlando, Phoenix, Atlanta etc... teams that are flat out tanking, we should give Norm a lot of minutes. I bet he's coming into this season really motivated, but will find minutes will be hard to come by, so these games would be perfect to get him going. Norm is hardworking dude, I wish he gets a chance to recover his game.

[tDotted]

Let Them Say What They Want. Locked �� In... Year 4 #UTG

— norman powell (@npowell2404) 24 September 2018

Norm is sounding extremely confident here

I'm fully expecting him to be in the rotation and come out with a bounce back season

[Scraptor]

When we play teams like Orlando, Phoenix, Atlanta etc... teams that are flat out tanking, we should give Norm a lot of minutes. I bet he's coming into this season really motivated, but will find minutes will be hard to come by, so these games would be perfect to get him going. Norm is hardworking dude, I wish he gets a chance to recover his game.

Agreed. This is one of the things that drove me crazy about Casey up until last year, he would always play the regular rotation heavy minutes against the worst teams in the league, even late into the fourth quarter with a huge lead.

Obviously you don't want to take too much for granted but Pop always uses matchups against lesser teams as an opportunity for giving the backups extra reps.