Norman Powell Returns to Face Former Team, the Clippers
Norman Powell made his long-awaited return to the court on Monday night as the Miami Heat took on the Los Angeles Clippers, the team he called home for the past three and a half seasons. After missing three games due to a groin strain, Powell was officially cleared to play — and fans were eager to see him back in action.
The matchup had a special emotional edge to it. Powell, who was traded from the Clippers to the Heat during the offseason, stepped onto the floor of the brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood to face some familiar faces — and a few former teammates. For him, it wasn’t just another game on the schedule; it was a homecoming of sorts, one wrapped in both nostalgia and determination.
Before his brief injury absence, Powell had been off to a strong start with Miami. In his first three games with the team, he averaged an impressive 24 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3 assists, shooting nearly 48 percent from the field and hitting half of his three-pointers. That level of efficiency is something the Heat were eager to see again, especially with several key players — including Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier — sidelined.
Also Read:The Heat entered the matchup sitting at 3–3 for the season, while the Clippers held a slight edge at 3–2. Interestingly, Los Angeles had dominated recent meetings between the two teams, winning their last four matchups. Miami, however, had its eyes set on breaking that streak — and Powell’s return was expected to give them a significant boost on both ends of the floor.
The game tipped off late at 10:30 p.m. EST, broadcast across multiple networks including FanDuel Sports Network, KTLA 5 in California, and South Florida’s own WQAM 104.3. For Heat fans, the big question wasn’t just whether Powell could shake off the rust, but whether his reunion against the Clippers would fuel one of his trademark scoring bursts.
Heat star Bam Adebayo spoke ahead of the game about the team’s mindset, emphasizing that Miami needed to “pick up our defensive habits” and “communicate more as a unit.” That mentality, paired with Powell’s return, seemed like the right formula for a bounce-back performance.
In the Heat’s starting lineup, Powell joined Davion Mitchell in the backcourt, alongside Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson, and Bam Adebayo anchoring the center spot. Across the court, the Clippers featured a star-studded group led by James Harden, Bradley Beal, Kawhi Leonard, and Ivica Zubac.
For Powell, the night wasn’t just about stats — it was about proving that he’s still the reliable two-way threat Miami traded for. After three games on the sidelines, his return against his old team brought a sense of storybook symmetry — the kind of moment that makes NBA nights feel special.
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