Norman Powell officially back for Clippers

Andrew Greif: Ty Lue says that Norm Powell is playing. His first game since Feb. 10.
Source: Twitter @AndrewGreif

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Norman Powell shared that Kawhi and PG encouraged Powell to take his time with coming back from injury, with all three on the shelf for all of March.
Powell adds that he tried to play in second Dallas game, and couldn’t do it. The next day, MRI revealed fracture. – 1:32 AM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Norman Powell tells @Andrew Greif he was meditating on the bench early on in the game: “I just focus on my breathing, different things I go over on in my head, come out of there cool, calm, collective, even keel.” – 1:32 AM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Norm Powell says playing off of Paul George still doesn’t seem real to him. pic.twitter.com/2chbIqGlIU – 1:30 AM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Norm Powell: Playing with PG still doesn’t seem real to me – 1:29 AM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
It’s wild that Norman Powell has scored like this with Clippers and Ty Lue repeatedly says that he doesn’t have plays down for him just yet. – 1:10 AM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Ty Lue on Norm Powell’s presence tonight: “He feels good, no injuries. The way he played, good to see him on the floor… seeing him on the floor with PG and Reggie was encouraging.” – 1:06 AM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Paul George said he’s fine playing off of the ball and that was one thing he wanted to do tonight in his first minutes with Norm Powell, letting Powell play with the ball to help him gain his rhythm. – 1:00 AM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Clippers 113, Suns 109 | Final | Paul George checks in, on Norm Powell: “I just thought we tried to play off one another. I wanted to get off the ball and let Norm get comfortable…. get adjusted, get acclimated.” – 1:00 AM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Norm Powell in his first game since Feb. 10:
24 points in 23 minutes on 10 shots. He shot 6-10 overall, 3-4 from three and 9-10 from the line. – 12:51 AM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
If you are waking up to a box score, this one is the definition of “not as close as the final score suggests”
But the final score IS a 113-109 LA win.
The good: game-high 24 points in 23 minutes in Norman Powell return.
The bad: Losing 35 points of a 39-point lead.
LAC: 40-40 – 12:48 AM StatMuse @statmuse
Norman Powell first game since February:
24 PTS
4 REB
6-10 FG
3-4 3P pic.twitter.com/BIsji78fJX – 12:42 AM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Norman Powell has tried to draw the same shooting fouls three times in a row, and the refs have made it clear they just want to go home – 12:09 AM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Norman Powell has 80 points in 92 minutes as a Clipper. – 11:40 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Suns had twice as many personal fouls (8) as buckets (4/22 FGs) in a second quarter that saw them outscored 15-9 by Norman Powell.
LA leads 60-31 at halftime, and at this rate, probably would not mind a running clock with the way Suns are bringing Blitz: The League to the floor. – 11:21 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Clippers 60, Suns 31 | Half | Norman Powell! 17 points in 11 minutes on 6-6 shooting.
Also: Fewest points the Clippers have allowed in a first half this season. And the fewest the Suns have scored in a first half. Previous low: 40. – 11:21 PM Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Norm Powell is 6-for-6 with 17 points but he also picked up his third foul not too long ago. – 11:15 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Norm Powell has now made his first five shots, his latest a catch-and-shoot corner three. – 11:08 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
So Norman Powell. First six minutes back: 10 points, 4-4, 2-2 from deep, 4 rebounds … +13. – 11:04 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Norm Powell checks out after 6 minutes and making all four of his shots for 10 points, plus three rebounds. – 10:57 PM Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Meanwhile, Norm Powell is 4-for-4 with 10 points after Paul George drove and dished to Powell for an open shot. The two are learning one another on the fly here with three games remaining in the season. – 10:52 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
The Clippers hadn’t seen Norm Powell and Paul George together before tonight at all, to hear Ty Lue say it. George’s drive to draw defenders and find Powell from the corner is a window into what that combination could be like in the postseason. – 10:51 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
The Clippers have run three handoffs from Hartenstein to Norm Powell already to get Powell moving by the time he gets the ball. – 10:46 PM Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Norman Powell has hit his first two shots, including a 3. And Paul George had 10 points in his first 10 minutes. George and Powell are now on the floor together in their first game together at start of the second. – 10:45 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
First quarter: Clippers have 26 points and Norm Powell, and Phoenix has 22 points. – 10:40 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Norman Powell 🪛 – 10:39 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Norman Powell receives a healthy applause after checking in for the first time since Feb. 10. His first task was guarding Elfrid Payton. – 10:36 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
About to check in: Isaiah Hartenstein … and Norman Powell. – 10:36 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Reggie Jackson and Paul George have 16 points, something of a bounce back start after they struggled to a degree Sunday vs Pelicans.
LA leads Suns 22-18 with 2:32 left in first quarter. Norman Powell checking in now. – 10:35 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Things I’m keeping an eye on tonight:
1) Cam Johnson shooting all the shots
2) Mikal Bridges’ minute total
3) Aaron Holiday/Elfrid Payton/Iffe Lundberg backup PG minutes
4) How Paul George and Norm Powell look – 10:25 PM Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Norm Powell is playing tonight and will come off the bench. – 8:12 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Clippers coach Ty Lue confirms Norman Powell will play tonight against the Suns. – 8:12 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Ty Lue says that Norm Powell is playing. His first game since Feb. 10. – 8:12 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN story on Norman Powell planning to return to the Clippers against the Suns (10 PM, ESPN): es.pn/3NO3jrn – 4:27 PM Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
norm powell is coming back tonight, just in time for the clippers championship run! si.com/nba/2022/04/06… – 4:02 PM The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
Clippers G Norman Powell plans to make his return tonight vs the Suns, per @Adrian Wojnarowski.
Powell’s been out since Feb. 12 with a broken foot. pic.twitter.com/emaqvQE6d1 – 4:01 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Norm Powell has been upgraded to questionable. – 3:53 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
So I would expect Suns to start
Cameron Payne
Landry Shamet
Mikal Bridges
Cameron Johnson
JaVale McGee
And I would expect same Clippers starters, but with a second unit of:
Terance Mann
Luke Kennard
Norman Powell
Robert Covington
Isaiah Hartenstein – 3:43 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Also, not a drill
Norman Powell has been upgraded to questionable tonight vs Suns. – 3:39 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Clippers upgrade Norman Powell to questionable for tonight’s game vs the Suns – 3:38 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers officially upgrade Norman Powell to doubtful for their only game in a five-day span.
Jason Preston and Kawhi Leonard will not play tomorrow.
Jay Scrubb is out for the season. – 8:23 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Clippers upgrade Norman Powell to doubtful for tomorrow’s game vs the Phoenix Suns – 8:22 PM

More on this storyline

Andrew Greif: Norm Powell will play off the bench. He ran with reserves yesterday in practice. Ty Lue says Powell might start in the second half to get more time with Paul George. Those two have had “zero” time playing together, even in practice, Lue said. -via Twitter @AndrewGreif / April 6, 2022 Adrian Wojnarowski: Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell — out since Feb. 12 with a broken foot — plans to make his return vs. Phoenix tonight, sources tell ESPN. A final decision on his availability will come after pre-game warmups. Another significant Clipper headed back before the playoffs. -via Twitter @wojespn / April 6, 2022 JD Shaw: The Clippers have upgraded swingman Norman Powell (left foot-fractured medial sesamoid bone) to QUESTIONABLE for tonight’s game against the Suns. Powell has missed 22 straight games. -via Twitter @JShawNBA / April 6, 2022