Norman Powell on his ‘addition by subtraction’ comment about Paul George: There’s no hate or shots being taken

Jorge Sierra: Jaylen Brown (age 28) has passed Paul George and Rasheed Wallace in playoff scoring and is now No. 47 in NBA history. Also: Draymond Green moved ahead of Hakeem Olajuwon in steals for No. 20 all-time. -via Bluesky / April 24, 2025

The trio, which was supposed to lead the Sixers to an NBA championship, logged only 15 games together as group because of injuries. As a result, George wants them to spend time together this offseason to build chemistry. “I think that’s very important,” he said. “We’ve already talked about seeing each other, where we’re going to be this summer. So we’ve already had those conversations about connecting once the season’s over. I think it’s very important. “I don’t think it’s healthy to go two, three months before seeing each other, regardless of if we’re checking in over the phone. It’s just different seeing each other.” -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / April 15, 2025

Keith Pompey: “I pride myself on being able to play in any situation, whether it’s on the ball, whether it’s off the ball. So it was a learning curve for me to kind of adjust to playing that style. So I’m not surprised about the moments that it didn’t look good. “Obviously, we have to continue to work this thing out. But you know me, I’m always going to stay optimistic. And again, I think I can play in any situation. So it’s just getting better from this point.” — Paul George on struggling while playing alongside Joel Embiid. -via x.com / April 15, 2025

Until they did. Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. tightened up the NBA’s third best defense. Nicolas Batum played 78 games and shot 43.3% from three. In larger roles, Zubac and Norman Powell thrived. Leonard and Harden are the biggest piece of the puzzle but they are part of one that fits. “I think when you have a team that appreciates their role and understands what their role is every single night and they’re fine with it, it makes it a lot easier to coach,” said Lue. “What our guys have been able to do this year, understanding their roles … it kind of puts guys in their places and guys are fine with their roles and understand what we need from them every single night.” -via Sports Illustrated / April 25, 2025

Still, the Clippers are here because of everyone else. Zubac, who should win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, is putting up post numbers comparable to Jokic and Joel Embiid. Powell could have been an All-Star. Dunn would be a lock for an All-Defensive team if he met the league’s weird minutes-played eligibility. “When you think about an NBA team, this is what you envision,” said Harden. “This is probably one of the coolest teams in the sense that everyone understands who each other is … that’s what makes this team so special.” Said Leonard, “There’s guys on the floor that want to guard. They’re just not just pointing at me and telling me to take them. These guys are looking an opponent in the eye and saying, ‘I want them.’ They motivate me defensively.” -via Sports Illustrated / April 25, 2025

Justin Russo: Norman Powell tonight on if he thinks Kawhi Leonard gets enough appreciation for fighting back from injuries: “I admire his mental fortitude and toughness through it all. He’s never too high, never too low. I try to emulate that mental toughness from him.” -via Bluesky / April 25, 2025