LOS ANGELES — Norman Powell made his return to the Los Angeles Clippers lineup on Wednesday night against the Phoenix Suns, just a week after Paul George made his own return from a long absence due to injury. Just like Paul George did, Powell lit up the scoreboard and led his Clippers to a victory.
Led by Powell's team-high 24 points in 23 minutes off the bench, the Clippers defeated the Suns, 113-109. Paul George added 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocked shots in the team's third straight win, which saw seven Clippers reach double-figure scoring.
Powell shot 6-of-6 from the field in the first half en route to a 17-point first half. He then scored all seven of his second-half points from the free-throw line, routinely putting pressure on the shorthanded Suns' defense.
Paul George and Norman Powell combined for 21 free throws on the night, which head coach Tyronn Lue was excited about.
“When you're struggling to score the basketball, you want to stop the bleeding when a team goes on a run,” Tyronn Lue said. “Getting to the free-throw line slows the game down and you're able to get your defense set, and so like you said, Norm always can get to the free-throw line, I think 10 free throws in 23 minutes, so that's really good.”
Powell's return came following a 22-game absence due to a fractured medial sesamoid bone in his left foot. He suffered the injury just three games into his tenure with the Clippers, and it ate at him not being able to play.
“I think the biggest challenge was just being out in general,” Norman Powell admitted after the Clippers' win. “I hate missing games. Especially when you feel like you can help out there. And then I guess the other thing was just my conditioning. Lower-body injury, it was kind of tough to stay in game shape. But I thought the medical staff has done a great job in just keeping my body in shape, trying to replicate my conditioning, being on the bike, on the VersaClimber through the eight weeks, trying to mimic my game play and the numbers that I put out for all the stuff that they keep track of. I think that was like my biggest worry.”
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Powell's first action was a success, both because he was able to come out of it healthy, and he was able to accrue minutes alongside Paul George.
“It was fun,” Powell added. “I was ready to come back. I’m excited for what we’re building here. All the guys are excited, playing along PG, it still doesn’t seem real me. He was a guy that I looked up to growing up. We had some battles in Toronto in the playoffs, and early on in my career he gave me some words of encouragement – my rookie year, that stuck with me. So being able to play alongside with him, and Kawhi when he gets back healthy, it’s going to be fun. So I’m definitely looking forward to that. I had a great time out there with the guys, so just looking to build.”
"Playing along PG, it still doesn’t seem real me. He was a guy I looked up to growing up. We had some battles in Toronto in the playoffs. Early on in my career he gave me some words of encouragement – my rookie year, that stuck with me."
Norman Powell on playing with Paul George pic.twitter.com/Izd2QQ58zp
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 7, 2022
Paul George didn't anticipate there being any issues jelling with Norman Powell and Robert Covington, both of whom he just played his first game with for the first time
“I thought we just tried to play off one another,” Paul George explained. “Biggest thing for me was I wanted to get off the ball and let Norm get comfortable. I’m fine playing off the ball, so in those moments Norm to kind of get adjusted, get acclimated, and he’s a big-time playmaker and a scorer off the ball in the pick-and-roll and in isolation. So at that point it was just kind of let him play and let me play off him.”
"I thought we just tried to play off one another. Biggest thing for me was I wanted to get off the ball and let Norm get comfortable. I'm fine playing off the ball. He's a big-time playmaker and scorer."
Paul George on playing with Norman Powell for the first time. #Clippers pic.twitter.com/HZ1Y64F8KL
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 7, 2022
The Clippers will have two more games left to potentially play together before the play-in tournament begins. The two games are part of a back-to-back set, however, so the key players aren't expected to play in both contests.
The play-in tournament is scheduled to start Tuesday, and while it isn't final, it appears as if the Clippers will be visiting the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis to play for the seventh seed.
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