LeBron James, Dwyane Wade.... and Norman Powell?

After another sterling performance, this one in a win in Philadelphia that lifted the Heat to 11-6, Powell is now averaging 25.4 points per game. We will see if he can sustain that, especially once he must share shots with Tyler Herro, who is expected to return on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Powell has benefited from Erik Spoelstra's push for increased pace; neither Wade or James got the opportunity to play quite this fast, unless they were streaking down the court after another steal, the skirmishes as Spoelstra called them, which would lead to high-wire theatrics. Even so, his consistency and efficiency have been extremely impressive.

He has scored at least 19 points in every game but one, and that was a blowout win against Memphis from which he subbed out early. He even did it the other night after missing more than a quarter with a groin pull. He has scored early.... and he has scored late. He has scored from deep and inside.

It's not nearly as spectacular as what Wade and James did during their Heat tenures, but there is an element of Wade's late-career "Father Prime" craftiness. Powell has shown the ability to slither into the paint and finish on either side of the rim with either hand. He has drawn fouls, even on his three-point attempts; he did that three times for three free throws on Sunday. And the three-point shooting and catch-and-shoot accuracy have been as advertised, or better.

Powell is now at 49.1 percent overall, including 45.6 percent from three-point range.

The skeptics will say it's only been 13 games, and that's true, whereas James and Wade did it over entire seasons, and even multiple seasons. But it says something to be at this level in Heat annals, in places that Herro, Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Chris Bosh, Goran Dragic, Jimmy Butler and so many others haven't gone.

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