Norman Powell is making Heat's starting 5 an easier puzzle to solve

The Miami Heat finally snapped their losing streak Wednesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who, all things considered, are a better team than the Heat. Avoiding a sixth straight loss moved the Heat into the eighth seed, but they're far from out of the water. 

It was Miami's second consecutive game with its full complement of players in the lineup, which has to feel good after spending almost the entire season not healthy and forcing Erik Spoelstra to manage different roster looks almost nightly. 

Now healthy and full once again, this could really help the Heat in their push to get out of the play-in and into a playoff spot. The contributions came from everywhere against the Cavaliers, but Norman Powell's was a particular highlight, and should do the right convincing as far as his role with the Heat moving forward.

Norman Powell's scoring punch is needed as a starter

After missing a slate of games with the Heat due to injury, Powell, who had spent all season starting for the Heat, was moved to the bench for a few games upon his return against the Orlando Magic on March 14th. For a few games before the Heat met the San Antonio Spurs earlier in the week, Powell bounced back and forth between the bench and the starting lineup. 

Perhaps Spoelstra wanted to see what his lineups would look like with Powell coming in as a second-unit guy. In either role, Powell didn't miss a beat, scoring 20, 17, and 20 points before missing another game, and then coming off the bench again against the Spurs, scoring 21 points. 

Against the Cavaliers, however, Powell started, scored 19 points, going 7-for-12 from the field, including 3-for-7 from the three-point line. It's clear that no matter the role Powell is assigned any given night, he's good for high double-digit points and one of the Heat's leading scorers. 

Powell has, in fact, been Miami's leading scorer all season (22.2 PPG), but has accomplished most of that as a starter. It's rare for Powell to have a really off night, as he's been Miami's likely most consistent performer this year, and it's why Spoelstra should continue the rest of the season with Powell in the starting five.

Powell is lethal from long distance, and his catch-and-shoot ability is at the top of the NBA. That said, what makes him so dangerous from outside the arc is his ability to use that threat as a decoy, because Powell is also a good driver to the basket. He's a multi-use threat as a shooter, and outside of Tyler Herro, the Heat don't have others who play this style.

It's been just one game with Powell back in the starting lineup while Miami has Andrew Wiggins back as well, and everyone else is fully healthy. Unless the win against the Cavaliers was fool's gold, the Heat might do well to keep Powell right where he is as a starter, the place where he excelled the most before the All-Star break. 

If the Heat are to have any chance of climbing out of the play-in, not only is health and availability so crucial, but Powell's role as a starter should also be viewed just as crucial. The Heat have bench depth, but how Miami starts games is vital to their survival, which makes who starts all the more important.