Raptors’ Norman Powell finds his place in the playoffs

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The playoff series between the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks changed dramatically after the Raps' humiliating Game 3 loss, and Kyle Lowry gives much of the credit to Norman Powell.

"He changed the series, honestly, he's changed the series so far," Lowry said after Wednesday's practice. "He's been unbelievable. That's a true professional. It's only his second year. It just shows the professionalism, the maturity, the maturity that he has. It's been great, man. He's been a good energy guy. He's pretty much everything for us right now."

Powell's role has changed dramatically over the five games of this series, which Toronto leads 3-2. Game 6 is on Thursday night in Milwaukee.

Powell had started 18 regular-season games for the Raptors, averaging 15.6 points, yet the second-year guard played fewer than six minutes off the bench in Toronto's Game 1 loss, then not at all in Game 2. Still he'd played a big role – in last year's playoffs, so his time was coming.

The 23-year-old played just under 15 minutes in Game 3, which the Bucks won 104-77, then was moved to the starting lineup for Game 4 and played 34 minutes and contributed 12 points while sticking to troublesome Bucks shooting guard Khris Middleton. Toronto won 87-76.

Powell's monster performance came in Game 5. Starting again, he led the Raps with 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting, went 4-from-4 from three-point range and nabbed four rebounds, four assists and three steals. The 6-foot-4, 23-year-old USC product also blocked a shot in Toronto's 118-93 win.

"He's been coming in and getting his looks, with the attention that me and DeMar [DeRozan] were getting is giving him an opportunity to show what he can do. It's pretty fun to watch," Lowry said. "It's kinda hard for [the Bucks] – you can't put your attention on three guys, so someone's gonna get a chance to be free and roam a little bit. I think he fits in well with what me and DeMar do and what they have done to us, trying to double-team us, put more arms on us. Norm has an ability to get to the basket, finish, get out in transition. But he's doing it defensively also. Let's not take that lightly."

A small smile broke across Powell's face when he was told what the all-star point guard had said about him.

"When your veteran leader sees the work you put in, how hard you're playing, how much you're trying to affect the series – that really means a lot to me," said Powell, sitting in a corner of the Raptors practice gym as his teammates packed for Milwaukee. "Kyle talks to me a lot during the season, keeping me motivated and keeping me going. I was starting games when DeMar was out, and then not playing, then playing for [DeMarre Carroll] earlier in the season, then sitting again. DeMar and Kyle have really helped me find my way in the league."

Powell was the Milwaukee Bucks' second-round draft pick in 2015 – 46th overall – but they traded his rights to Toronto, along with a future first-round draft pick, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez.

"It's inspirational. Any guy who can go second round, all the odds he had to face coming out of college – couldn't shoot, undersized – anything you could put against Norm, he's fighting against all odds," DeRozan said. "I'm a big fan of the type of players that stick through it, push, put in the work every single time, and it shows every time your name is called. For him to be up and down, not knowing if he's going to play in a game, start a game, to step up in big moments like that is just a credit to the type of player he is."

Powell said DeRozan was the one who told him ahead of Game 4 that he would be starting.

"My main focus was playing defence. I have to trust the team, trust the process, trust that my work is gonna show," said the quiet and even-tempered Powell. "The guys were joking with me after Game 5, 'oh you're big time, I see you shining, you gonna come to the podium with us?' I just trust that the time and dedication I put into basketball every day is gonna show up."