Norman Powell Returns, Rounds Out Clippers Starting Five Amid Playoff Push

The NBA's Western Conference is starting to heat up. The Warriors, after adding Jimmy Butler, and the Lakers, after adding Luka Doncic, have both shot up the standings.

Those two teams then pair with a strong Nuggets squad, a tough Rockets Team, and the well-rounded Thunder to create a powerhouse-packed postseason.

Right now, it’s tough to see where the Clippers fit into that picture. So far this season they’ve suffered from numerous injuries, but have remained resilient.

On top of that, they have a lot of talent on their roster who can show up any given night

Even so, the bench is quite thin and the supporting cast is lacking compared to some of the other top teams in the West.

If the Clippers want to get serious about making a deep run, they’re going to need to figure out how to stay consistent. That starts with a healthy roster.

Gaining a Key Piece

Despite their struggles, Los Angeles has one big advantage going into the back end of the NBA season: they know what they need to do to win. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard continue to lead the team, while Norman Powell provides a third threat on what is a very strong offense.

All three have yet to remain healthy at the same time, but when they’re all on the court the Clippers can contend with just about anyone.

Luckily, their most recent game shows that Powell may finally be ready to return

The lengthy wing played just his second game since the all-star break against the Hornets on Sunday night.

He first missed five games as a result of a left knee injury, then played only nine minutes after returning before going down with a right hamstring strain.

The game against the Hornets was his first full contest since February 13th

He did not play particularly well, scoring 7 points and recording just one rebound and one assist, but he didn’t have to do too much. He just needed to get a feel for the court again.

A Shift in Style

The Clippers are no strangers to injury, and they know how to properly rehab their players.

Powell only played 23 minutes against Charlotte, and the team did not ask much from him.

While they want him on the court as much as possible, it’s likely they will continue to ease him in throughout the following week.

That’s because the 31-year old is one of their best players this season

He’s averaging 23.4 points a game to go with 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Losing that offensive output has been tough, but coach Tyronn Lue has managed to keep things going with him out.

“[We were] understanding how we want to play through guys,” the coach said in an interview.

“I think we’re getting more comfortable playing through Kawhi [Leonard], playing through Zu [Ivica Zubac], and James [Harden] is just James.”

Going Big, Not Home

While Powell’s return is a big deal for Los Angeles, if they’re going to succeed come May they also need the help of Zubac.

The large center is averaging 16.2 points and 12.5 rebounds a game this season, and showing no signs of slowing down.

Having him in the middle is a big deal, especially if the Clippers have to face the likes of Nikola Jocic, Alperen Segun, and LeBron James.

Being able to put a strong body in the center of the court allows the other players to run their game.

That goes double if that strong body can score

Zubac is not going to light up the highlight reel every night, but his presence gives the Clippers exactly what they want.

He complements the offense well, allows defenders to take chances, and provides a strong scoring threat in his own right.

One Final Push

While the Clippers have lost some ground in Powell’s absence, they have a real shot at making it up during his return.

Their schedule doesn’t get much easier moving forward, with games against Cleveland, Memphis, and Oklahoma City, but they are also a much better team when all three of their scorers are on the court.

Add in Zubac’s production, and it’s easy to see the Clippers winning some playoff games. First, however, they need to rally.

“We pretty much need to win these games,” said Leonard

“Obviously, James is playing at a great level, Zu too. They played great individual basketball, being efficient, and being great as well, making threes.

It’s just been a collective group of thinking, just making shots that have been helping us.”

That mentality is important because the Clippers aren’t in a position to slow down. Only a few games separate them from the sixth seed, but a few losses could knock them out of contention too.

They’re going to need all-hands on deck if they want to make the postseason. Right now, those hands belong to Zubac and Powell.

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