Could more minutes for Serge Ibaka and Norman Powell help the Raptors in Game 3? (via ArdenZwelling)
’s 22. But that had a lot more to do with foul trouble and Toronto’s general lack of offensive effectiveness Friday, which resulted in Powell playing a marathon 16-minute shift that overlapped the third and fourth quarters. At halftime, Powell had played only eight minutes. But maybe that number should be higher.
He also played active, physical defence against a wide range of opponents, including 13 possessions on Malcom Brogdon, nine on Khris Middleton, seven on Eric Bledsoe, and five each on Ersan Ilyasova and George Hill. And, according to NBA.com’s matchup data, players Powell was guarding for the majority of a possession attempted only three field goals Friday, scoring four points.
“I thought Norm had a good game. His athleticism was noticeable. At times, they’ve got a lot of athletes out there. And it’s nice to be able to match the speed,” Nurse said. “He was just playing hard. He was into people, up-guarding, blocking people out with some physicality. Those are the things that we also need. He should play a big role here going forward.”
It would be tough for Nurse to go so far as to insert Powell into the starting lineup, particularly over Green who’s started every game this season. When it comes to Ibaka and Gasol, the Raptors have at least experimented with fluidity in who starts at centre during the regular season. But Green’s defence and three-point shooting has been a lynchpin of Toronto’s opening unit, and it’s worth pointing out once again that the starters have still been the third-best lineup in the playoffs.
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