If Norman Powell keeps up his elite level of play over the course of the next couple of months, it's going to be practically impossible to keep him from earning his first NBA All-Star appearance. Powell has not only been productive for the Heat, but he's been the No. 1 scoring option on the highest scoring offense in the league.
Through the first month of the season, Powell is averaging 25 points and four rebounds per game on 49 percent shooting from the field and 46 percent shooting from 3-point range. He's been a vital part of the Heat's transformation on the offensive end of the floor this season and has seemingly fit perfectly in Erik Spoelstra's new scheme.
It's hard to imagine where the Heat would be this season if it weren't for Powell. In fact, the Heat is just 1-2 in games that Powell has not played in for Miami this season. With Powell in the lineup, the Heat is 9-4.
Even in just the short time that Powell has been with the Heat, he's quickly emerged as one of the most important players on the team.
Norman Powell is an All-Star player
Even though it will be a tall task for Powell to get the All-Star votes, there's no question that he's playing like an All-Star-worthy player. If this level of production continues, it will be difficult for him not to get an eventual nod - probably as a reserve selection.
But, whether that happens or not, Powell deserves his flowers. After being counted out this past offseason, in which the LA Clippers basically gave him away to the Heat, Powell has proven the masses wrong.
I suppose we should hold off on complete judgment until we see how Powell looks when Tyler Herro returns, but it's hard to imagine much is going to change for the Heat's offense. And if there's one thing that has become abundantly clear, it's that Powell is a near-perfect fit for the high-octane machine that the Heat have created.
It's time that he gets his credit. Especially with the absence of Herro to start the season, the Heat be in a bad place if it wasn't the emergence of Powell.
And with the way that Powell is playing so far this season, it's hard to argue that he isn't playing at an All-Star level, and accolade that he was robbed off last year.