One Norman Powell ability headlining opposing scouting reports

Across Norman Powell's last three games, he's knocked down a total of 18 three pointers, including a nine three performance a night ago against the New Orleans Pelicans.

He's averaging 24.4 points a night this season with the Heat, and it's been hard keeping him off the floor as he's battled through every minor injury that pops up.

Defenses know they're in for a tough night when facing him, since although the perimeter shooting is a primary threat, he's not a one-trick pony.

As teams fly out at him off the catch on that three point line, his catch and go drives have peaked all season long as a pretty consistent finisher.

Norman Powell tonight:

34 points
11 of 15 shooting
9 of 12 from three pic.twitter.com/QEn6KbHRlt
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) January 5, 2026

These different elements of his offensive bag force his defenders to play very close attention to him when he's looking to score, leading to one of his sneakiest offensive sticking points.

Powell is averaging a career high 6 free throw attempts a night with Miami, and these aren't your typical contact drives that earn him a trip to the charity stripe.

It's simply all perimeter work. All fouls on jumpers. All due to his defenders being severely worried about him firing over the top of them.

He's mastered a technique of drawing these fouls on jumpers, as he awaits his defender to reach out to contain, before locking up that arm as he flows into his natural shooting motion.

"For the last four or five seasons, I hear over the course of the game: 'hands back,' when I do pick-up those fouls," Norman Powell said after the win over the Pelicans addressing the recent scouting report bump.

Talked to Norm tonight about the specifics of him drawing fouls on jumpers:

“I hear throughout the course of the games: ‘hands back’ when I do pick up those fouls”

“A lot of times the game is moving so fast and they’re playing so aggressive, they try to take me out easy looks.” pic.twitter.com/GKIgkeU2Uc
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) January 5, 2026

"I definitely know they're talking about it," he continued. "So it's definitely something that they're trying to scout. A lot of the time the game is moving so fast, and they're playing so aggressive trying to take me out of my easy looks, so I can still pick some up here and there."

As much as coaching staffs and video coordinators are warning their teams about this ability heading into games, it's simply something harder said than done.

If teams play it too safe guarding Powell without the occasional hand check, it leads to a potential night where he buries nine threes without even breaking a sweat.

"It's a really tough move to guard, but I think you see around the league everybody is getting that into their arsenal," Powell added.

If you watch these two possessions last night, Norm’s process is just waiting for the hand check

It’s the only way to limit that off the dribble pull-up

But once he feels or sees that arm out toward him, he flows into his shooting motion underneath it

It’s a real skill https://t.co/tfU7AnroeB pic.twitter.com/qA0jGFG9lz
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) January 5, 2026

On the two three point fouls he forced a night ago against the Pelicans, there is one common denominator: going to work against a big on a mismatch.

It's hard to draw a ton of these switches in this new offense that has eliminated screens, but when a big is forced to stay attached to a guard in a transition scramble, just know what's coming next if that guy is named Norman Powell.

Some guys tend to attack the basket against the slower footed big. Others like to create a good looking three after creating space on a crossover or step back, as Tyler Herro often chooses.

But a tendency for Powell is that he's going to await that worried big to stick his arm out to contain, and once that hand is in the cookie jar, he pounces.

Teams scout it, know it's coming, keep hands back. And yet, he still finds a way to get to this ability night after night.

His shooting is still his deadliest ability. But this is becoming his superpower.