Norman Powell has returned in time for Toronto Raptors’ tough road trip

With the Toronto Raptors set to embark on a tough five-game road trip out west, Norman Powell has returned to the lineup at the perfect time.

While the Toronto Raptors have been performing incredibly well this season, they could always improve. They sit with the third-best record in the NBA and the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 42-17 and looked primed for their fifth straight 50-plus win season and could, with a little luck along the way, break their franchise-best season of 59 wins.

This season has seen the Raptors go through trials and tribulations, more than most teams do in a single season – the difference is, they just keep winning. Injuries have plagued the team from top to bottom, with everyone from Pascal Siakam to Matt Thomas missing significant time.

Despite that, they have consistently had players step up to the plate each time, giving the Raptors a little bit of what they need on a nightly basis. In a league where superstars are more valued than ever before, the Raptors have relied on just about everyone to produce for them.

One of those players, in particular, is Norman Powell.

Powell is averaging 15.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, shooting 50-percent from the field and 40-percent from three. In short, Powell is having a career-season all around. After four topsy-turvy seasons where Powell went through multiple iterations before being that guy that you could just never figure out – maybe this is who he is.

If this really is who he is, then the Toronto Raptors have a gem. Powell has turned into a killer shooter as his volume has increased and become a pivotal cog for the Raptors in the process. When the playoffs roll around, Powell will likely earn himself some big minutes.

More in tune with the past and present, however, and Powell missed the last nine games due to a fractured finger sustained against the Detroit Pistons – his second lengthy spell on the sidelines this season after missing 11 games towards the end of 2019.

The good news is that Powell returned to the fold on Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets – and it couldn’t have come at a better time. He started in place of the injured Fred VanVleet and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat, scoring 22 points on 8-of-19 shooting from the field. The Raptors aren’t suffering from many injuries, but are just about to embark on a five-game road trip out West – one that could change the course of their season.

Currently, the Raptors are just one game ahead of the Boston Celtics who are catching up fast. Their chances of closing in on the Milwaukee Bucks are slim, so now the goal should be to cling to the second seed for dear life and hope for a favourable first-round matchup against the Brooklyn Nets or the Orlando Magic.

If the Raptors fall to the third seed, that could mean a potential first-round match-up with the Indiana Pacers or the Philadelphia 76ers – something that could cause a lot more issues for the reigning champions.

While the road trip out west isn’t exactly filled with the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers or the LA Clippers, it still presents an opportunity where the Raptors could drop the ball. They face the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night before taking on the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and finish of the trip against the Utah Jazz.

The Raptors need bodies during such a draining trip and their current injury situation represents something of a revolving door. When a player returns from injury, it’s more than likely that another player will take his place in the physio room – that’s the unfortunate reality of the Raptors season, but still, they persevere.

With Powell returning, though, the Raptors have one of their top performers on their side when they need it the most. He can provide scoring off the bench and is more than capable of filling in for the starters.

Thankfully, he didn’t need any time to reacclimate himself to the court on Friday and moving forward, the Raptors will hope that Powell can do the business. Road trips across the country have proven to be an exhausting venture for any team, but they remain a necessity.

The Raptors will likely be favourites against the likes of the Suns, Warriors, and Kings, but face tougher tests against two of the best teams in the West in the Nuggets and Jazz. Having someone of Powell’s ilk to lift them in big moments is key. It’s good to have him back.