Leon Powe makes most of time on center stage

44Thrilla · Mar 14, 2009

As an ever-growing media horde moved in on Leon Powe’s locker, Mikki Moore leaned toward one of the writers and said, “You’re going to need a bigger pad, and three more pens.”

And then he leaned toward one of the photographers and said, “And you’re going to need more film.”

Moore was merrier because Powe was powerful, scoring a career-high 30 points in the Celtics [team stats]’ 102-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies last night at the Garden. So, sure, Moore goofed around with the media, the joke being that Powe would be talking so much about his big game that it would be dawn before he was done.

But no. Instead of making speeches, instead of high-fiving himself and waving to the cameras, Powe sounded like a man who has been there before.

“I know what I can do,” he said. “Just go out there and play. Just go out and play as hard as I can. You know, I could score in college, and I’m used to that. But I haven’t had too many opportunities here.”

Isn’t that what this is all about? Isn’t this the reason teams secure role players in the first place?

Kevin Garnett is a vitally important member of the Celtics, but he remains injured and idle, and that means other people must get off the bench and into the fray to take advantage of the opportunities.

“We already know what he can when he gets his opportunity,” said Celtics captain Paul Pierce [stats]. “Tonight, it showed. He was aggressive. We got him into positions where he can make plays, and that’s what we need right now with guys injured.”

Did we mention that Glen Davis is also out?

And Brian Scalabrine?

If ever a team could be helped by a player taking advantage of whatever opportunities are offered, this was the night for Leon Powe.

Man, was it ever. In addition to his career-high 30 points, Powe also had a career-high five blocks. He collected 11 rebounds, two shy of his career high.

And he was seemingly everywhere, seemingly all the time: He logged 41 minutes last night. Against Miami the other night, he logged a career-high 43 minutes.

“Leon was absolutely terrific,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, and that’s an absolutely nice thing to say.

But what’s up, Doc? Why was it that Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins won last night’s Coolest Quote About Leon Powe By a Coach Award?

Because this is what Hollins had to say: “He’s just an animal. He’s an aggressive, energetic, live-wire body . . . if you’re not tough in the post. . . . But he’s getting offensive rebounds, he’s posting up, he’s getting the rebounds.

“He just plays basketball.”

Last night, he was just beautiful to watch, a role player who in this game was a great player.

And inquiring minds wanted to know: Given the kind of game he played last night, did Leon Powe allow himself the thrill of looking up to the scoreboard to see the dazzling point total that was positioned next to his name?

Everyone expected some kind of nice, neat, we’re-just-out-to-win response from Powe.

And truth to tell, he did get there eventually.

But first, he admitted, “Sometimes you glance at it,” referring to the scoreboard.

Then he got back to the script, saying, “I try to worry about what’s on the real scoreboard, if we’re up or down, trying to see what we need to do.”

So here’s to Leon Powe for putting team first.

But here’s to Leon Powe for admitting that, for a brief second, he did what every one of us would have done were we in the same situation.

He looked up at the scoreboard and at the 30 next to his name.
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http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1158505&format=text

44Thrilla · Mar 14, 2009

Three more pens. Another notebook. More film for the cameras. Those were Mikki Moore's suggestions to reporters for capturing all of Leon Powe's postgame musings in the Celtics' locker room last night.

Powe had 30 points, as well as 11 rebounds and 5 blocks, in a starting role in Boston's 102-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at TD Banknorth Garden. And when he emerged from the showers, dripping with confidence following a career high for points, he had only one more person to prove himself to.

"That wouldn't happen [with me around]," Kevin Garnett, who is recovering from a sprained knee, barked from the other room. "What do you average, 1.7 points, 0.1 rebounds?"

The ink began to run and the notebooks started to fill.

"You know who I guard every day [in practice]," Powe shouted back, referring to Garnett. "Don't be so surprised. I'll be back."

Powe then turned to the reporters, who were scribbling wildly.

"Me and KG were having a friendly talk," he said. "I want KG to come back. My body is getting used to these 40 minutes, but that's our leading man, and we miss him."

It was hard to tell the Celtics missed Garnett last night. Powe got down to business early, scoring 9 points and grabbing six rebounds while playing all but 12 seconds of the first quarter. In addition to crashing the boards, he caught the ball outside the paint and took it to the hole on several occasions. Powe made nine trips to the line in the quarter.

"Since he's been put in the starting role, he's been really playing well for us," said captain Paul Pierce. "We already know what he can do when he gets his opportunity. Tonight, it just showed. He was aggressive, he made plays. And that's what we need right now."

Powe matched Memphis's Rudy Gay with 18 first-half points, though the man with 10 career double-doubles was still three rebounds shy at that point. He scored just 2 points in the third, but Powe finished with a flourish, scoring 10 points in the fourth. He played all but two minutes of the second half, especially noteworthy with frontcourt players Garnett, Glen Davis, and Brian Scalabrine sidelined with injuries.

"I've been playing [more than 40 minutes] per game," said Powe. "That's a lot of minutes. That's a lot of opportunity. My teammates were doing a great job of finding me, and I just wanted to keep working."

Powe is still a relative NBA unknown, but his back story, publicized during last season's NBA Finals, as well as his 21-point outburst against the Lakers in Game 2 of that series, have given him some notoriety. Powe spent part of his childhood homeless, and his mother's death while Powe was in high school left him with responsibilities over his younger siblings.

On the court, knee injuries limited Powe to two seasons at the University of California. The injuries overshadowed his stellar final season, when the undersized power forward averaged 20.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

Powe came into last night's game averaging 7.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in a little more than 17 minutes per game this season. His averages are 18.4 points and 9.2 rebounds in his last five games.

"I know what I can do," said Powe. "I've scored the ball in college. I'm used to that. I didn't have too many opportunities here, but I'm coming off the bench to make the most of my minutes. When you're playing behind KG and other veterans, it's kind of difficult. It's just about me making the most of it."

Celtics players couldn't care less if Powe is known by others. Right now, he's plugging the massive hole left by Garnett's absence. And he's using that wide body to carve a niche for himself that isn't likely to go away, even when Garnett returns.

"You know he's going to play 30-plus minutes now," said Pierce. "When you have a guy that gets that opportunity, he's not going to look over his shoulder . . . it's a whole different attitude."
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http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/03/14/powes_time_is_well_spent?mode=PF

44Thrilla · Mar 14, 2009

Memphis gets 'Powe-ned': 102-92

Leading all scorers with a career high 30 points on a superb 10 for 14 shooting, Leon Powe gave the Celtics just what they needed - a big all around game. He and the bench gave them something else - rest for their other starters.

Big shots by Ray and relentless inside scoring by Powe had the two players tied with 20 points each at the end of three periods.

All of that big time scoring overshadowed the return of Rajon Rondo, who played a scrappy game with 4 points, but grabbed 8 rebounds, 8 assists and an 'Only Rondo' highlight film play.
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http://forum.connpost.com/celticscentral/2009/03/memphis_gets_powened_10292.html#trackbacks

jason bourne · Mar 15, 2009

Powe will be HUGE in the playoffs.

Not only that, he's an outstanding person. Not many can come out of homeless shelters to play in the NBA and graduate from college, too. He went to my alma malter CAL.

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