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  3. article_body => "<p>It's playoff time and nobody knows more about a deep postseason run than Trail Blazers veteran wing Norman Powell.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Having the 2019 NBA champion on the roster can only help, right? <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Blazers are about to find out, but with just one postseason practice under his belt with Portland, Powell is still navigating through the preparation differences between the two.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/talkin-blazers-frye\"><strong><span>Download and Subscribe to the Talkin' Blazers Podcast<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/talkin-blazers-frye\/episodes\/1c3d6d67-fbfa-4fb1-8348-880bb2da2faf\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1621375413\" data-url-provider=\"ART19\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Powell won his first championship when the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals in six games.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Even though the&nbsp;27-year-old has seen what it takes to bring home the hardware, he says he is \u201cstaying in his lane\u201d right now with the Blazers, but he knows as the First Round series against the Nuggets progresses, he\u2019ll have moments to share more of his thoughts and views. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Following the first full day of preparation for the Nuggets, Powell says he is soaking it all in on how the Blazers\u2019 postseason preparation looks compared to what he was used to in Toronto. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Whether it\u2019s during practice, the game, or game film sessions, he feels confident that he'll be able to add his input. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cThroughout the course of this series or this playoff run, just being vocal in what I see and how we can improve game in and game out,\u201d is what Powell plans to bring from a leadership standpoint.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The seven-year veteran believes that Portland\u2019s attention to detail on defense down the stretch of the regular season \u201cfueled\u201d their offense and led to their success in the final 12 games of the season. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>As the 46th-overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, Powell has made a name for himself on the defensive end and as a go-to scorer. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>He knows the way to beat the Nuggets in a seven-game series:<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nOverall defense. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;\u201cThe way to defeat Denver is by playing defense,\u201d Powell said. \u201cWe can\u2019t rely on our outside shooting. Obviously, if they\u2019re there, we\u2019ve got to take them and shoot them with confidence, but we can\u2019t rely on trying to beat them offensively.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"3ef6e23d-6483-48e2-a120-1b8b24438f23\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Robert Covington, who was brought in to lead the change on the defensive end over the offseason, has been impressed with Powell\u2019s versatility on that end. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cThe intensity, the attention to detail, he brings a lot to the table and just that veteran leadership, the presence that he has had significant success, he brings that to us,\u201d Covington said of Powell. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"39c269fc-85f7-4ba9-82ba-e49406625942\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Powell suited up for the Blazers for the first time on March 26 vs. the Orlando Magic. It was just one day after Portland acquired the savvy vet at the NBA\u2019s trade deadline in exchange for guard Gary Trent Jr. and veteran Rodney Hood who were shipped to Toronto.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>But as the Blazers and Powell prepare to face the bigger Denver Nuggets, Powell at 6\u20193\u201d is ready to slow down 6\u201910\u201d forward Michael Porter Jr. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>And no, he isn\u2019t worried about the height difference. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI\u2019ve guarded bigger players before\u2026 I speak a lot about Toronto, but they put me on Kristaps Porzingis one game. So the height advantage doesn\u2019t really bother me,\" Powell said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"e51b80c6-ad2a-4b9d-89e0-787b24bd0d7d\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Covington knows all too well Powell\u2019s ability to take on bigger players. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI had many battles with Norm when I was in the Eastern Conference as&nbsp;well,\"&nbsp;Covington noted.&nbsp;\"I\u2019ve seen the growth of Norm and what he\u2019s been capable of. He takes on the challenge no matter who it is.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Powell has seen a lot too in his previous six years in the league. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Going from a rotational player in the Toronto Raptors lineup to a sixth Man of the Year Candidate to now one of the NBA\u2019s best shooters, the Blazers will undoubtedly rely on his skill and experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>And just in case you're wondering, no, Powell is not showing off his championship ring as extra motivation for his teammates. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI haven\u2019t seen my ring since the championship, since it\u2019s been in Toronto. Hopefully I\u2019ll be able to add another one to the case.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n"
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Trail Blazers

/ by Jamie Hudson
Trail Blazers

Jamie Hudson

It's playoff time and nobody knows more about a deep postseason run than Trail Blazers veteran wing Norman Powell.

Having the 2019 NBA champion on the roster can only help, right?

The Blazers are about to find out, but with just one postseason practice under his belt with Portland, Powell is still navigating through the preparation differences between the two.

Download and Subscribe to the Talkin' Blazers Podcast

Powell won his first championship when the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals in six games.

Even though the 27-year-old has seen what it takes to bring home the hardware, he says he is “staying in his lane” right now with the Blazers, but he knows as the First Round series against the Nuggets progresses, he’ll have moments to share more of his thoughts and views.

Following the first full day of preparation for the Nuggets, Powell says he is soaking it all in on how the Blazers’ postseason preparation looks compared to what he was used to in Toronto.

 

Whether it’s during practice, the game, or game film sessions, he feels confident that he'll be able to add his input.

“Throughout the course of this series or this playoff run, just being vocal in what I see and how we can improve game in and game out,” is what Powell plans to bring from a leadership standpoint. 

The seven-year veteran believes that Portland’s attention to detail on defense down the stretch of the regular season “fueled” their offense and led to their success in the final 12 games of the season.

As the 46th-overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, Powell has made a name for himself on the defensive end and as a go-to scorer.

He knows the way to beat the Nuggets in a seven-game series:

Overall defense.

 “The way to defeat Denver is by playing defense,” Powell said. “We can’t rely on our outside shooting. Obviously, if they’re there, we’ve got to take them and shoot them with confidence, but we can’t rely on trying to beat them offensively.”

It’s going to be the defensive intensity and focus in the game that will allow us to be in the flow and be able to get good shots.

Norman Powell

Robert Covington, who was brought in to lead the change on the defensive end over the offseason, has been impressed with Powell’s versatility on that end.

“The intensity, the attention to detail, he brings a lot to the table and just that veteran leadership, the presence that he has had significant success, he brings that to us,” Covington said of Powell.

Since we’ve acquired him, it’s taken us to another level.

Robert Covington

Powell suited up for the Blazers for the first time on March 26 vs. the Orlando Magic. It was just one day after Portland acquired the savvy vet at the NBA’s trade deadline in exchange for guard Gary Trent Jr. and veteran Rodney Hood who were shipped to Toronto.

But as the Blazers and Powell prepare to face the bigger Denver Nuggets, Powell at 6’3” is ready to slow down 6’10” forward Michael Porter Jr.

 

And no, he isn’t worried about the height difference.

“I’ve guarded bigger players before… I speak a lot about Toronto, but they put me on Kristaps Porzingis one game. So the height advantage doesn’t really bother me," Powell said.

It’s about the physicality, the grittiness, the toughness in making all possessions and touches difficult. I’ve guarded Paul George in the playoffs and he had the height advantage… Just continuing to be physical with them.

Norman Powell

Covington knows all too well Powell’s ability to take on bigger players.

“I had many battles with Norm when I was in the Eastern Conference as well," Covington noted. "I’ve seen the growth of Norm and what he’s been capable of. He takes on the challenge no matter who it is.”

Powell has seen a lot too in his previous six years in the league.

Going from a rotational player in the Toronto Raptors lineup to a sixth Man of the Year Candidate to now one of the NBA’s best shooters, the Blazers will undoubtedly rely on his skill and experience.  

And just in case you're wondering, no, Powell is not showing off his championship ring as extra motivation for his teammates.

“I haven’t seen my ring since the championship, since it’s been in Toronto. Hopefully I’ll be able to add another one to the case.”