Heat All-Star’s Shocking Bench Role vs Lakers Gets Explanation

When the Miami Heat revealed their starting lineup for the March 19 matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, one name was noticeably missing.

Norman Powell was left out of the starting five for the second time in three games.

When the Heat faced the Orlando Magic on March 14, Powell checked in for 31 minutes off the bench. During that time, he scored 20 points, shooting 46.7% from the field.

The Heat paid a visit to the Charlotte Hornets on March 17, and Powell was back with the starters ahead of a 30-minute shift. He shot 7-17 from the field to score 17 points, while producing six rebounds and three assists.

Miami came up short in both games, after their seven-game winning streak was erased by the Magic.

Erik Spoelstra went back to a starting lineup that didn’t include Powell against the Lakers on Thursday. The decision received an explanation recently.

Norman Powell’s Benching Gets Honest Explanation From Erik Spoelstra

“[We’re trying to] manage it,” Spoelstra said of Powell, who dealt with a recent groin issue.

“He’ll be fine as long as we’re responsible about it. Look, these are not easy decisions right now. He’s going to play a lot of minutes … Right now, we just need to focus on winning games, and pouring into the team right now. We want to be healthy. We want our guys out there. We want our firepower. We want our options. With that comes some level of sacrifice. What we’ll do each game, I don’t know. We’re doing whatever we feel is necessary to put ourselves in a position to win.”

Powell isn’t a stranger to coming off the bench. For a notable portion of his career, the veteran sharpshooter has served as a reserve. Last season, the Los Angeles Clippers started Powell for all 60 games he played, after he started in just 13 games over the previous three seasons with them.

Since arriving in Miami, Powell has not only been a starter—but he became an All-Star for the first time in his career.

In the 51 games leading up to Thursday’s action against LA, Powell was averaging 22.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He is shooting 47.2% from the field and hitting on 38.6% of his threes.

The sudden switch from star player to coming off the bench comes as a bit of a shock.

Powell’s Future Is Dependent On This Run

For the second year in a row, Powell has proved he could be a 20-point scorer on average throughout the year as a starter in the NBA.

Being 32 and in year 11, Powell just might be getting his final chance for another large contract.

The veteran is currently in the fifth year of the $90 million deal he signed in 2021. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent when July rolls around.

Putting together an All-Star season generated a great case for Powell, but a move to the bench certainly raises some questions. The upcoming stretch will be critical for the veteran.

Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on Heavy Sports

The post Heat All-Star’s Shocking Bench Role vs Lakers Gets Explanation appeared first on Heavy Sports.