‘I feel like I’m a starter,’ but Heat’s Powell accepting of biding time as reserve
MIAMI — Based on his sizzling start to the season, and then in light of his first career All-Star appearance in February, the expectation with Norman Powell hardly was of a reserve role with the Miami Heat in late March. And yet here Powell and the Heat stand, with the veteran guard now two games into his role realignment, having played off the bench twice this week. Returning as a starter this past Saturday in the loss to the Orlando Magic after a seven-game absence with a calf strain, the expectation was same as it ever was.
But then the move to the bench in Tuesday night’s road loss to the Charlotte Hornets , followed by the same role in Thursday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Kaseya Center. Fifty consecutive games as starter. Now, two in a row in reserve.
“Just playing my game,” Powell said, with the Heat shifting their attention to Saturday night’s road game against the Houston Rockets. “Those decisions and things are above me. I can’t control that.
“I focus on what I can control, be a good teammate, be professional, continue to have confidence in myself, go out there and play the way I need to play in whatever minutes I do get and figure it out and how we can make it work. ” And yet behind the diplomacy is the reality that Powell will become a free agent in July unless extended by the Heat in the interim. “I’ve been through every single role, position in this 11-year career that I’ve had,” he continued.
“It’s nothing new to me. I just put my hard hat on and go to work. “Whatever role it is, I put myself in a position to help this team win games.