Toronto Raptors: Top five performances from week nine

4. Norman Powell

Opponent: Cleveland Cavaliers

Stat line: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 1 block

With the Toronto Raptors dealing with so many injuries this season, Norman Powell has been a real bright spot. He has not only accepted a bench role when the team is at full strength, but he has also filled in for both Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet valiantly in the starting lineup. It was more of the same during this game as VanVleet was out and Powell got the start.

Powell is not known for his playmaking abilities but you couldn’t tell that from the first quarter. He only scored four points in the quarter but he contributed with three assists leading to seven points and grabbed three rebounds. Powell added four additional points in the second quarter as the Raptors were up by 12 heading into the half.

The 3-point shot– something that has been a welcome improvement to Powell’s game this season — came alive in the third quarter. He scored a strong 16 points in the frame with 12 of those points coming from the 3-ball. His mammoth quarter allowed the Raptors to jump to a 20 point lead, allowing Powell to take a back seat as he scored no points in the fourth.

Unfortunately, Norman Powell suffered a shoulder injury against the Detroit Pistons that will now sideline him indefinitely. This injury hurts but especially for Powell as he was really finding his groove and had all the confidence in the world on the offensive end. Powell finished the week with averages of 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals per game.