MIAMI – As Miami Heat star Norman Powell led the team to a 140-123 victory over his former team in the Los Angeles Clippers, there were a ton of contributions in what ended up being a collective effort. With the Heat having a fully healthy roster, there has been one player to be the “head of the snake,” as many within the team call point guard Davion Mitchell.

Mitchell has been exceptional this season and was so and more on Monday night in the win over Los Angeles, scoring 16 points while making every shot from the field, including four three-pointers, to go along with a whopping 12 assists. Boasting a team-high +37 on the floor, Mitchell has been the one to set up each player, while also being a perfect player in Miami's new offensive system, emphasizing a fast pace.

During Mitchell's press conference, Powell would scream, “First team!” as a way to advocate for his defensive prowess. Powell would explain to ClutchPoints how Mitchell is the “head of the snake,” while saying there would be something “wrong” if he isn't First Team All-Defense.

“Just the energy and the effort and the multiple efforts that he gives every single night on the defensive end guarding their best player and taking the challenge, picking them up full court, being physical, fighting through screens, sacrificing his body,” Powell said after scoring 30 points. “We feed off of him, making those plays every single night.”

“I think he has a chip on his shoulder,” Powell continued. “I've been playing against Davion for a long time, even in the summer, he's the same way…He's a student of the game, but he's definitely first team. If they don't have him in first team, something's wrong.”

Heat's Bam Adebayo on how Davion Mitchell is the “head of the snake”

Heat's Norman Powell and the starters head to the bench
© Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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In an interview with ClutchPoints before the season started, Mitchell had said that he was ready to “change the game” with the Heat, no matter his role as a starter or off the bench. However, it will be hard to bench a player like Mitchell that fits perfectly with the starting lineup, described as someone who “understands” what Miami is trying to accomplish on offense, as said by head coach Erik Spoelstra.

Another person within the Heat who has called Mitchell the team's “head of the snake” is captain Bam Adebayo, shouting out the point guard's ability on offense, but also on defense, which was crucial Monday against star James Harden and others.

“We're putting together a starting five where it's hard to figure out what scheme we're running defensively because we're so active. And like I said, Davion is the head of this thing because he's the first crack when it's on the point guard,” Adebayo said to ClutchPoints after recording 27 points and 14 rebounds.

“It just makes it easy for him. You know, we're not doing a lot of play calls,” Adebayo continued later on Mitchell's fit in offense. “You're not trying to figure out, like, who needs the ball, like this offense is built for him, we have the number one pace, all of us run, but like he's the head of the snake. When Davion gets the ball, and he gets up the court like, literally might be three dribbles, and it just puts defenses on their heels.”

At any rate, it was a much-needed bounce-back win against the Clippers for Miami, especially after Saturday's loss to the Detroit Pistons. The Heat are now at 14-7, now heading on a two-game road trip starting Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks.