There is pin-drop silence in the Intuit Dome; partially because the LA Clippers finally won two in a row, and have a generous break to enjoy the NBA’s Christmas action, but more so due to the fact that Norman Powell and the Miami Heat are struggling.
Do the Clippers deserve an apology for the unreasonable blame they initially received during Powell’s honeymoon phase in South Beach? To a certain degree, they do. Everyone and their mother laughed at Lawrence Frank for shipping off the veteran guard; however, it turns out LA’s lead executive was vindicated.
On the contrary, John Collins has had his best month so far as a starter, further explaining why it has been awfully quiet on social media.
The criticism around Powell’s recent performances should be as loud as the blame
With no exaggeration, every single day, the prosperous statistical updates on Norman Powell and the Miami Heat would have every fan of the LA Clippers feeling regret for what Lawrence Frank had done. Every circumstance made it seem like Powell fled LA at the once-in-a-blue-moon moment.
However, Powell is currently experiencing what the grass feels like on the side he was once on, as the Heat are 2-8 in their last 10, shockingly worse than the 3-7 Clippers. This has led to a sense of peace and quiet, allowing Frank to think about the future rather than what he did over the summer.
The Heat are losing because Powell’s all-star hype is evaporating. He cooled down right as winter turned the corner. Coincidentally, in December, he is averaging 22.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, shooting 44.4% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc.
Moreover, these stats are balanced by good and bad performances, doing Powell a bit of justice. In reality, he has shot below 36% from the field on several occasions throughout December, and notably went 1-11 from the three-point line in a loss to the Boston Celtics.
Therefore, fans of the Heat have decided to say no more regarding Powell, until and unless he picks it up. If not, Pat Riley could trade him before mentioning anything about an extension.
That said, kudos to Frank for not paying Powell. It would have been a mistake hard to move on from at the deadline, as his financial desires were likely high, clearing LA’s front office of any mistake everyone thought they made.