Norman Powell #24 of the Miami Heat reacts in the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on November 14, 2025 in New York City. Elsa Getty Images
Miami Heat guard Norman Powell doesn’t like to miss games. He also doesn’t like to leave games early.
So when Powell felt “a little something in my hamstring” after taking a turnaround jumper early in Saturday night’s 125-115 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he told the Heat’s trainers and they evaluated him. But all the while, Powell was pushing to return to the game.
“The medical staff, they’ve done a great job all year managing injuries, with me especially,” said Powell, who exited Saturday’s game with 6:11 left in the first quarter. “I just told them to trust me. I started the game, I’ve got to finish it.”
It took a little bit, but Powell got his way.
After the Heat listed Powell’s return to the game as questionable because of “right leg soreness,” he eventually re-entered Saturday’s contest with 4:41 left in the second quarter. He went on to finish the game, closing the loss to the Timberwolves with a team-high 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field, 2-of-6 shooting on threes and 7-of-8 shooting from the foul line in 25 minutes.
“I like thugging things out is what I like to say,” said Powell, who is also available for Sunday night’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans at Kaseya Center on the backend of the home back-to-back set despite what the team listed Sunday afternoon as a right hamstring strain. “I’m not a person that’s going to sit out or pull myself out of the game with certain injuries. If I’m able to play and I feel that I’m able to go out there and produce and be helpful for my team, I’m going to go do that no matter what the injury is.
“I’ve come back in games with a broken hand. The only injury I never came back in the game for was when I subluxed my shoulder back in my second year. I couldn’t lift it up after that even though I tried. But yeah, I’m just a player that’s going to play through all the bumps and bruises unless I physically can’t go out there and play. I don’t want to take the game for granted. We’ve only got a limited number of games and time in this league, so I want to take advantage of every second of it.”
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and guard Norman Powell (24) celebrate after scoring against the Golden State Warriors in the second half of their NBA game at Kaseya Center on Nov. 19, 2025, in Miami. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Powell, 32, has missed five games this season — three with a right groin issue, one with a left groin strain and one with a left ankle sprain. But he has also already played through various ailments in his first season with the Heat.
“We’re getting to know him, he trusts his body, he knows his body better than anybody,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Powell, who was traded to Miami in July. “He said he was good. He did pass the protocols once he came back to the locker room. ... Norm was fine the rest of the way, except for when he was getting clubbed in the head those two possessions in the fourth.”
Powell brushed off those hard hits to the head, too, after Saturday’s loss.
“Another lump or something back here,” Powell said with a smile. “I’ve got some hair to cover it up. But yeah, I’ve got a little lump back there. Like I tell coach, I can take a punch, I can take some hits. I pride myself on being tough and playing through stuff. So nothing that’s too concerning for me.”
HERRO UPGRADED
After missing the last 10 games and 12 of the last 13 games with a right big toe contusion, Heat guard Tyler Herro has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s matchup against the Pelicans.
Herro, who also missed the first 17 games of the season due to left ankle surgery he underwent in September, has played in just six games so far this season.
Herro is averaging 23.2 points per game on 50.5 percent shooting from the field, 40.5 percent shooting from three-point range and 92.3 percent shooting from the foul line in his six appearances this season. The Heat is 3-3 in the six games that Herro has played in.
JAQUEZ DOUBTFUL
While Powell was able to play through his leg issue, Heat sixth man Jaime Jaquez Jr. left Saturday’s loss to the Timberwolves early after spraining his right ankle and did not return. Jaquez exited the contest with 6:28 left in the second quarter.
“I just tried running, tried running, tried moving around on it, and it wasn’t really feeling right,” Jaquez said of leaving Saturday’s game early. “So that’s what caused that decision.”
Jaquez, 24, is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s contest against the Pelicans because of his sprained ankle. It would mark just the second game that Jaquez has missed this season.
“I’ve got to see in the morning,” Jaquez said when asked Saturday night whether he would be able to play on Sunday against the Pelicans. “These things take time to heal. Kind of like what happened last time when I had this little tweak. You really know the next day. The next day is kind of a good indicator of where you sit in the game.”
The Heat already ruled out Vlad Goldin (G League), Keshad Johnson (G League), Terry Rozier (not with team) and Jahmir Young (G League) for Sunday’s game against the Pelicans.
Herro and Nikola Jovic (left groin contusion) are listed as questionable.
Bam Adebayo (lower back soreness) and Pelle Larsson (sprained right ankle) are probable to play on Sunday. Larsson has missed the last two games with his sprained right ankle.
The Pelicans ruled out Saddiq Bey (right hip flexor strain), Hunter Dickinson (G League), Herbert Jones (right ankle sprain) and Dejounte Murray (right Achilles rupture) for Sunday’s game in Miami.
In addition, Trey Murphy III (low back spasms) and Derik Queen (left quad contusion) are listed as questionable for the Pelicans.