Norman Powell reveals carrying 'Mamba Mentality' after hot start lands him starting spot with Clippers
Through the first two weeks of the season, Norman Powell looks to be in the midst of a career year. Following his latest impressive outings, the veteran guard paid homage to an all-time great.
With Paul George gone and Kawhi Leonard injured, there are opportunities for players on the Clippers to be a focal point in the offense. Among those making the most of this chance is Powell. He's been the Clippers' leading scorer to open the season, averaging around 25 points per game.
On Wednesday night, Norman Powell had another dominant outing. He notched 26 points and six assists against the Philadelphia 76ers on 80% shooting from the field and 75% from beyond the arc.
Following this performance, Powell was asked about his start to this season. He feels he's spent 10 years working for a chance like this and is embracing Kobe Bryant's "Mamba Mentality."
"I've been scratching, clawing my way to get this opportunity. It's been 10 years of playing different roles," Powell said. "I've been carrying that Mamba Mentality."
It's rare for a player to have a breakout season this late in their career, but Powell finds himself with a rare opportunity on the Clippers. This has been a much-needed production for LA as they are filling the void of two absent stars.
Norman Powell still focusing on improving amid strong start to the season
Despite being off to the best start in his career, Norman Powell is not fully satisfied with his play. After his dominant outing against the Philadelphia 76ers, he talked about still striving to improve and become a well-rounded player.
"I'm not really happy about my play," Powell said. "I just think I can always get better."
"Just trying to be better, trying to be a complete player."
At times in his career, Norman Powell has shown flashes of being a 20-point-per-game player in the NBA. However, his play with the Clippers this season is above and beyond anything he's shown before.
Along with putting up a career-high 25.0 ppg, Powell is shooting the lights out from deep. He's connecting on an impressive 48.5% of his threes on nearly nine attempts per game. Powell is also leading the league in 20-point games through the first month of the season.
As he nears the end of his contract, Powell's strong play could pay huge dividends for him financially down the line. However, the biggest benefactors of this hot start are the Clippers.
Even though LA has James Harden and Kawhi Leonard leading the charge, they'll need strong play from the supporting cast if they want to contend. If Powell can keep this up, the Clippers should be able to easily fill the void left by Paul George.