Norman Powell reflected on Miami Heat’s second-half difficulties in Thursday’s 134-126 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Kaseya Center. “I think it’s a mix of both. He [Luka Doncic] was hitting some tough shots off the switches… just trying to gauge it,” Powell said regarding Doncic’s 60-point explosion.
Powell emphasized the challenge of adjusting to Doncic’s offensive surge. “We could have done a better job coming out of the quarter, attacking and putting pressure on them,” he added, noting that Miami’s offense became stagnant early in the second half.
Addressing the team’s recent inconsistencies, Powell noted, “We can’t let up off the gas… third quarter has always been a little problematic for us coming out with the same energy or pace.” He stressed the importance of controlling runs and maintaining momentum during critical stretches.
On defensive lapses, Powell credited the absence of Bam Adebayo for part of the struggle. “Not having Bam in the last game… hurts. He covered so much ground, switching, communicating… his presence defensively,” he said, adding that Miami’s top-five defensive performance still requires consistent execution across all 48 minutes.
Powell also spoke about adjusting to his role off the bench after starting all season. “Just playing my game… I focus on what I can control, be a good teammate, be professional, continue to have confidence in myself,” he explained.
When asked about the clarity of his role moving forward, Powell said, “We talked game to game… treating every game as a playoff game because it’s so important. Whatever role you’re put in, the focus has to be going out there and winning the game no matter what.”
Miami, missing Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Andrew Wiggins, led by as many as 15 points early, fueled by Bam Adebayo’s 28 points and 10 rebounds. Tyler Herro added 21 points, and Powell contributed 20, but the Heat were unable to contain Doncic’s second-half dominance.
The loss dropped Miami to 38-32, keeping them eighth in the Eastern Conference, while the Lakers improved to 45-25 and extended their season-best winning streak to eight games.
