Norm Powell has earned the right to play poorly.
Through a history with the Raptors that’s shown him capable of starring roles in big games, the veteran gets the benefit of the doubt through some early season struggles.
“He’s got a much longer leash because he’s done it before, and he’s done it in high-level games, and he’s done it at a high level,” coach Nick Nurse said of Powell. “I’ve got to play that out, continue to play that out until he gets on track.”
What Nurse is doing is right out of the good coaching handbook and makes sense, allowing veteran players to play freely and without undo pressure.