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What Heat’s Erik Spoelstra ‘loves’ about Norman Powell’s skillset
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- What Heat’s Erik Spoelstra ‘loves’ about Norman Powell’s skillset
The post What Heat's Erik Spoelstra 'loves' about Norman Powell's skillset appeared first on ClutchPoints .
MIAMI – As the Miami Heat are set up to compete for a championship this upcoming season, the approach from the team is intentional in fixing the offensive side of the ball. While the Heat's offense is looking to evolve in the first full year without Jimmy Butler, head coach Erik Spoelstra speaks on how Norman Powell heavily impacts the team.
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After trading Butler, the offseason called for Miami to acquire another gutpunch in the scoring department, after finishing bottom 10 last three seasons in offensive rating. Now with Tyler Herro out to start the season, Powell is needed more than ever after having a career-best year with the Los Angeles Clippers , averaging 21.8 points per game on shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from three-point range.
It will be deja vu for Powell, who also saw his opportunity grow when Kawhi Leonard missed the start of last season, the same happening currently with Miami's top scoring option in Herro. Besides scoring, Powell does offer a "versatility" that Spoelstra adores.
"He just has good versatility, however you want to play, and we're going to have to play probably different styles over the course of the season," Spoelstra said about the star to ClutchPoints before the home preseason opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. "He's done it in Toronto , where he played fast. He's done it with the Clippers, where he played more of a controlled playoff pace. I think all of it is important. I love his versatility."
Heat's starting lineup could be intentional for a faster pace
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
As Powell will be crucial for the Heat without Herro for the time being, another key option for the team is Nikola Jovic , who just signed a contract extension, made official last week. For the preseason opener on Saturday in Puerto Rico against the Orlando Magic , Jovic started along Bam Adebayo in the front-court, prompting questions about whether that is expected to be the lineup on Oct. 22 in the first regular season game on Oct. 22.
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Another narrative that has been around the fanbase is Kel'el Ware coming off an impressive rookie season, and whether he'll be in the starting lineup alongside Adebayo. When Spoelstra was asked about the thinking of Jovic starting and if the Herro injury had anything to do with the choice, he downplayed the decision and the star's absence as a factor.
"I don't know. We'll see what we do with the starting lineup. Niko has played well, you know, does that mean he's going to start day one? I don't know," Spoelstra said, with the team looking to bounce back after the 126-118 loss to Orlando. "But, I like what he's doing right now. It has nothing to do with Tyler being out."
One would think that it makes sense that Jovic at power forward and Adebayo at center would give the team less size, but the ability to play at a faster pace. However, Ware was drafted with a first-round pick due to his elite athleticism for a seven-footer and playing at a faster pace.
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Miami finished fourth-slowest by a pace of 97.1 possessions per 48 minutes last season, a statistic they're looking to improve on. The Heat will utilize the preseason to tinker with their offense ahead of the regular season opener on Oct. 22 against the Magic.
Related: How Heat's offense must evolve in post-Jimmy Butler era
