Norman Powell continues to surpass LeBron James’s hot Heat start

Nov 10, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) brings the ball up court against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

While LeBron James is still the best player to wear a Miami Heat Jersey and Dwyane Wade is the most accomplished, there is no denying that Norman Powell is having the best start in the franchise’s history. 

It was already a great value in acquiring Powell in the offseason for an extremely cheap price that didn’t require sacrificing a first-round pick. But the consistent production Powell has given the Heat has perfectly complemented their new offensive approach. Given how committed the roster is to prioritizing the team before anything else, Powell’s role has been simplified to just being one of the most reliable three-level scorers in the league.

Powell is averaging 24.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on 46 percent shooting and 45.8 percent from three-point range. Even more impressively, he has the most points through a player’s first eight games in Heat history. His 196 points surpassed James’s 165 points back in 2010. Powell is also the first player in Heat history to score at least 20 points in seven of his first eight games. 

As Beal’s season ends, Powell is already besting LeBron in Miami Heat records

Nov 7, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) looks on against the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter of an NBA Cup game at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

If it wasn’t already clear that the Heat stole from the Los Angeles Clippers in a lopsided trade, it became even clearer today as Bradley Beal suffered a season-ending fracture in his hip. Before the news, many were already considering this move to be a mistake, as Powell was vastly outplaying Beal and providing much more for his respective team. On the Run It Back show, Lou Williams broke down why the Heat and Powell pairing is perfect.

Lou Will says Norman Powell and MIA are the perfect marriage

“This is the perfect marriage for him down in MIA. Norman Powell is a guy that’s fit for that environment. I think he thrives where there’s structure, accountability. This might’ve been the perfect thing to happen for… pic.twitter.com/eoopSlsfDJ

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) November 11, 2025

“If you feel like you’re not getting your just due, you want to go somewhere to be able to get your just due,” Williams said. “And I think this is the perfect marriage for him down in Miami. We talk about Heat Culture, the structure that they have, how organized they are, and the way they carry themselves as an organization. If you’re overweight, you’re not playing. How they go about conditioning, Norman Powell is a guy that’s fit for that type of environment.”

It was even more shocking for the Clippers to give up on Powell, considering he was already coming off his best season, where many people believe he should have made his first All-Star appearance. On NBA Today, Kendrick Perkins breaks down why the move made very little sense for the Clippers in risking a big move for Beal.

.@KendrickPerkins reacts to Clippers guard Bradley Beal having a season-ending injury 😳 pic.twitter.com/0w8rt4FacM

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 12, 2025

“I feel sorry for Bradley Beal, but over the past three years, history has shown us that something has been bothering him,” Perkins said. “So you replace a guy that was averaging 24 points for you, knocking on the door of being an All-Star, in Norman Powell, to go get a Bradley Beal who has shown you nothing over the last three years.”

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