There was no doubt as to who the hero was at the end of game three for the Portland Trail Blazers: Norman Powell. His impact on the game and its outcome was outsized, and Shaun Powell of NBA.com examines how Powell made the difference when Damian Lillard had a slow afternoon against the Denver Nuggets.
Powell was a whirlwind who chopped up Denver’s defense by constantly attacking, getting high bounce on his jumpers, and issuing some lip service for fun if only because he was truly feeling it. He managed a playoff career-high 29 points on 11-for-15 shots and rushed to the rescue of Damian Lillard, who missed nine of 10 shots in what qualified as the must frustrating playoff game of his career.