With the Miami Heat facing the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, star Norman Powell is featured on the injury report, as there's no denying that the basketball world wants to see the guard face his former team. Though Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is hopeful to return, there shouldn't be a problem for Powell.
Although Powell is on the injury report, he has been listed as “available” for the game. Unless there is a dramatic change, he is expected to play in Monday's game, looking to continue his excellence. Powell had been dealing with a groin strain that made him miss last Monday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, suffering the injury in a few games prior against the Chicago Bulls, but came back last Wednesday.
He would also play in Saturday's loss to the Detroit Pistons, scoring 28 points in the effort, making a point to say that the team overall needed to “make a strong stand early.” Detroit came out fast in attacking the paint as Miami was sluggish to start, and though the team made a run in the fourth quarter, it was too little too late.
“They're a paint team, that's where they live, they attack the paint,” Powell said to ClutchPoints after the Pistons recorded 76 points in the paint. “I thought we just didn't make a strong enough stand early in the game collectively; they were getting whatever they wanted. They were getting down there. They're finishing, getting fouls, and-ones, whatever it was. But they were aggressive offensively, and we're kind of on our heels throughout the course of the game until late in the fourth.”
Norman Powell’s thoughts on the six-game winning streak being snapped and him answering my question on Miami allowing close to 80 paint points and close to 30 off turnovers.
Would mention how Heat didn’t make a ‘strong stand’ to start collectively: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/t7otQxLLdm
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 30, 2025
Norman Powell looks to lead the Heat past his former team in the Clippers
While Andrew Wiggins' 31 points felt like a wasted effort for the Heat against the Pistons, along with Powell, there were aspects to take away from the contest.
Powell would point out coming back from a 22-point deficit to just two points with under a minute left, playing more to their free-flowing, fast-paced identity that pressures hard on defense, but the team needs it more consistently. Miami looks to clean up its game at a 13-7 record, looking to get back in the win column against Powell's former team in the Clippers.
