Everything Norman Powell

[DogeLover1234]

He played in the 2nd half and there wasn't any more information, so no info in these case is good info.

Still more threatening is that Casey said about shortening rotation, so maybe no more Powell in these round and even more Scola...

We could hope it means no scopa and more ppat or carroll at the 4

[Apollo]

After how Norm played in the last couple months it would be crazy to bench him.

[Axel]

After how Norm played in the last couple months it would be crazy to bench him.

Alternatively, how Scola has played it would be crazy NOT to bench him.

[S.R.]

After how Norm played in the last couple months it would be crazy to bench him.

No it wouldn't. Powell has played almost none of those minutes with the starting unit - those guys aren't used to each other at all, and now you're asking them to feel each other out in the playoffs where (evidently) DD and Lowry are already rattled. Powell's great production has come off the bench or with the bench while starters sit in meaningless game. He's a second round pick rookie, it's a huge gamble to throw him into the starting unit when he hasn't played with those guys yet. They haven't done it all year yet managed to win 56 games, it boggles my mind why you'd try it out for the first game of the playoffs. "Let's see how the rookie does."

Keep using him in the same situations he's been productive in over the last couple months. Put him out with the bench against bench talent.

[DanH]

No it wouldn't. Powell has played almost none of those minutes with the starting unit - those guys aren't used to each other at all, and now you're asking them to feel each other out in the playoffs where (evidently) DD and Lowry are already rattled. Powell's great production has come off the bench or with the bench while starters sit in meaningless game. He's a second round pick rookie, it's a huge gamble to throw him into the starting unit when he hasn't played with those guys yet. They haven't done it all year yet managed to win 56 games, it boggles my mind why you'd try it out for the first game of the playoffs. "Let's see how the rookie does."

Keep using him in the same situations he's been productive in over the last couple months. Put him out with the bench against bench talent.

Powell played 150 minutes over 15 games with the starting lineup (JV and Scola). Easily his most used lineup. He's been starting during that run of great success for the team.

Carroll played 229 minutes over 15 games with the starting lineup (JV and Scola), but that was 4 months ago.

Funnily enough the team is 9-6 in each of those 15 game sets.

Neither is much of an improvement on the other in terms of experience with the starters. And of course both starting lineups were net negatives. Powell vs Carroll is not the problem with that lineup. The SF position has had a pretty negligible effect on the starting lineup all year. Downgrading from JV to Biyombo had an effect (they got worse). But cycling in Ross, JJ, Carroll and Powell has not had much of one at all (as I recall Ross had one good lineup with Biyombo in there in a small sample).

[S.R.]

Powell played 150 minutes over 15 games with the starting lineup (JV and Scola). Easily his most used lineup. He's been starting during that run of great success for the team.

Carroll played 229 minutes over 15 games with the starting lineup (JV and Scola), but that was 4 months ago.

Funnily enough the team is 9-6 in each of those 15 game sets.

Neither is much of an improvement on the other in terms of experience with the starters. And of course both starting lineups were net negatives. Powell vs Carroll is not the problem with that lineup. The SF position has had a pretty negligible effect on the starting lineup all year. Downgrading from JV to Biyombo had an effect (they got worse). But cycling in Ross, JJ, Carroll and Powell has not had much of one at all (as I recall Ross had one good lineup with Biyombo in there in a small sample).

In the 17 games straight Powell started to end the regular season, I only see him playing with KL/DD/Scola/JV in 6 games, averaging 12 mpg with that lineup.

My two main problems are not that I don't like Powell (I do) - a lot of his minutes and success has come in games where either the Raps or the opposition are taking the foot off the pedal with the season winding down, which is not at all what happens in the playoffs, and that starting him allowed the Pacers to put PG on DeRozan.

With Powell's inexperience both in the league and with the starting unit, I think the bigger advantages are in having size and experience at the SF - with either Carroll or JJ, because a) it's the playoffs, experience will help, and it's not really the time to try out a rookie who only became a regular part of the rotation as the season wound down and you decided to rest players, and b) the Pacers starting 2 guard is their worst defender. Attack Monta with either DeMar (if you can force PG onto your starting 3) or attack him with your starting 3 (if they refuse to switch PG off DD).

[DanH]

In the 17 games straight Powell started to end the regular season, I only see him playing with KL/DD/Scola/JV in 6 games, averaging 12 mpg with that lineup.

My two main problems are not that I don't like Powell (I do) - a lot of his minutes and success has come in games where either the Raps or the opposition are taking the foot off the pedal with the season winding down, which is not at all what happens in the playoffs, and that starting him allowed the Pacers to put PG on DeRozan.

With Powell's inexperience both in the league and with the starting unit, I think the bigger advantages are in having size and experience at the SF - with either Carroll or JJ, because a) it's the playoffs, experience will help, and it's not really the time to try out a rookie who only became a regular part of the rotation as the season wound down and you decided to rest players, and b) the Pacers starting 2 guard is their worst defender. Attack Monta with either DeMar (if you can force PG onto your starting 3) or attack him with your starting 3 (if they refuse to switch PG off DD).

You know the way this ends is with Casey getting Carroll to isolate on Monta, right? That won't result in good offence, at all.

The change at SF might help a slight bit, certainly would be better than DD defending George (though, so would Powell defending George). But if we want to make a real difference, it won't come at SF.

[S.R.]

You know the way this ends is with Casey getting Carroll to isolate on Monta, right? That won't result in good offence, at all.

The change at SF might help a slight bit, certainly would be better than DD defending George (though, so would Powell defending George). But if we want to make a real difference, it won't come at SF.

Ha, yes a Carroll iso would be ugly. He should still be able to catch a ball deep and just turn and shoot over Ellis and/or shoot over him on the perimeter and off screens.

JJ is probably the team's best iso post-up player though and this is the perfect situation for him to get 10-20 minutes. He doesn't help with spacing and would need to be out there with Patterson, but he would force the Pacers to either move PG off DD or double him in the post. He can make passes out of a post double.

Yeah attacking Ellis with size is half of it, defending George with size is the other half of it. Put those two together and that's a pretty big shift from game 1 where George D'd up DeRozan and the Pacers were allowed to hide Ellis on D.

Agreed it's not the only solution - starting Carroll at the 4 would allow you to assign him to George and another wing player could attack Ellis or you could target Ellis in the p'n'r a few times. Even with that though you've got 40 minutes to defend George and can still give JJ 10-20 minutes. I know it won't happen, it's just my pipe dream. I can't find any clips but JJ had some nice defensive sequences vs. George this season, I remember watching them and thinking "that's how you defend a SF!" (Pierce/Joe Johnson flashbacks).

I don't have much confidence in assigning Powell to George, which you have to do if you're going to move DD off him without using JJ and while sticking to DC's minutes restriction. Powell's too small and you're putting a rookie on an All-NBAer. It'll be the perimeter version of Turner vs. JV.

[Apollo]

No it wouldn't. Powell has played almost none of those minutes with the starting unit - those guys aren't used to each other at all, and now you're asking them to feel each other out in the playoffs where (evidently) DD and Lowry are already rattled. Powell's great production has come off the bench or with the bench while starters sit in meaningless game. He's a second round pick rookie, it's a huge gamble to throw him into the starting unit when he hasn't played with those guys yet. They haven't done it all year yet managed to win 56 games, it boggles my mind why you'd try it out for the first game of the playoffs. "Let's see how the rookie does."

Keep using him in the same situations he's been productive in over the last couple months. Put him out with the bench against bench talent.

Powell's great production has come with darn near every opportunity he's been given. He's started numerous games and played great basketball in all of them. My endorsement isn't based on him lighting up scrubs in the last two games, I was on board long before that.

Frankly, his background story doesn't matter, many people missed on him. He's a very smart player, he's a very fundamentally sound player and he works hard. That translated to impressive defense and a highly reliable and efficient offensive game. He blends in and is smart enough to attack when the defense shows weakness. You need to stop getting caught up with the "second round rookie" background story. The guy is a baller and last game outside of Cojo, Pat and JV no one else looked too hot so I fail to see the risk in giving him a look when he plays solid D and can knock down shots. What else do you want coming off the bench or blending in the starting five?

[S.R.]

Powell's great production has come with darn near every opportunity he's been given. He's started numerous games and played great basketball in all of them. My endorsement isn't based on him lighting up scrubs in the last two games, I was on board long before that.

Frankly, his background story doesn't matter, many people missed on him. He's a very smart player, he's a very fundamentally sound player and he works hard. That translated to impressive defense and a highly reliable and efficient offensive game. He blends in and is smart enough to attack when the defense shows weakness. You need to stop getting caught up with the "second round rookie" background story. The guy is a baller and last game outside of Cojo, Pat and JV no one else looked too hot so I fail to see the risk in giving him a look when he plays solid D and can knock down shots. What else do you want coming off the bench or blending in the starting five?

I got no problems with Powell - I'm a big Powell fan, and I'm on board with everything you wrote about him. The problem with him starting is that means Paul George is defending DeRozan and DD has to defend Paul George. That's the problem with starting Powell with JV/Scola/DD/KL.

Also with the starters, Powell's a clear afterthought - guy got 4 FGA out of that game. He'll get more opportunity to have more of an impact off the bench. They need to attack Ellis in the starting unit and I don't think they're going to throw the ball to a rookie in the playoffs to do that. That's why him being a rookie matters - it's not my beef, it's the NBA and this is a kid who just started getting minutes at the end of the season. This starting unit doesn't even trust JV yet. They're not going to start throwing Powell the ball to address a key deficiency of game 1. The starting unit isn't going to be maximizing Powell's potential to contribute. It's also the point of the context of his minutes as the season wound down - he's not getting 30 mpg and the offensive opportunity for 30 ppg anymore, not in the playoffs. I'm not criticizing what he did, I'm saying that's not gonna happen now.

Again he only played 17 minutes - he can get those easy off the bench, and he's not getting more than 15-20 in pretty much any scenario. Defending PG with somebody else and attacking Ellis are two adjustments that should be made for game 2, and I don't think Powell helps the starting unit with either.

DD attacking Monta and a bigger defender on George would be ideal.

[Nilanka]

I would much rather see Powell guard George (assuming Casey's only other option is DeRozan again).

[DanH]

I would much rather see Powell guard George (assuming Casey's only other option is DeRozan again).

Yeah, the benefits of Carroll starting are obvious when the alternative is DD guarding George. But no one would think that's the only alternative (except Casey, of course).

That said, I think both Carroll and Powell should start (ideally Carroll and PP, but either way works).

[Bonus Jonas]

Yeah, the benefits of Carroll starting are obvious when the alternative is DD guarding George. But no one would think that's the only alternative (except Casey, of course).

That said, I think both Carroll and Powell should start (ideally Carroll and PP, but either way works).

If the starting 5 is KL-NP-DD-DC-JV who guards who in your opinion?

JV-Allen is obvious.
DC on George is straight forward.

But then do you keep Powell on Monta and have DD guard a big?

Does Allen have enough of a post game to burn us if he's being guarded by DD?

[DanH]

If the starting 5 is KL-NP-DD-DC-JV who guards who in your opinion?

JV-Allen is obvious.
DC on George is straight forward.

But then do you keep Powell on Monta and have DD guard a big?

Does Allen have enough of a post game to burn us if he's being guarded by DD?

JV - Mahinmi is probably what you meant. And yeah, I hide DeMar on Allen. Powell on Monta, Lowry on Hill. Switch any Hill-Allen picks, double on Allen if he proves to be able to score inside. Need to gang rebound on the defensive glass.

[Bonus Jonas]

JV - Mahinmi is probably what you meant. And yeah, I hide DeMar on Allen. Powell on Monta, Lowry on Hill. Switch any Hill-Allen picks, double on Allen if he proves to be able to score inside. Need to gang rebound on the defensive glass.

Yeah that's what I meant.

And yeah that makes sense, doubling wouldn't be too bad as they're not a great 3 point shooting team either.