But last night he was needed, and boy, did he deliver.
Powe was the one-man energy source off Doc Rivers's bench, powering his way to 21 points in a mere 14:39 of playing time as the Celtics took a 2-0 lead with that roller coasterish 108-102 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Long before the Lakers staged a sensational finish that almost stole the game from the home side, Powe had punished them inside with his relentless play.
Powe left the game after picking up his fourth foul with 5:56 to go, the Celtics leading, 96-80. And it was a bogus exit, too, since replays showed that referee Ken Mauer had completely blown the call. Powe had reached in to strip the ball from Derek Fisher, making no contact whatsoever.
This was his coming-out party for the national audience, but Celtics fans have known for two years now what an exciting, if still somewhat raw, talent he is. Powe can get a lot done, and it really doesn't matter who the foe is. He plays with a healthy disrespect, no matter who's on the other team.
Powe was the focal point of a Boston bench effort that turned a 22-20 deficit coming out of the first period into a 10-point (36-26) lead in the first four minutes and change of the second quarter. He actually made his presence known by getting himself to the line late in the first period (missing both), but once the second quarter began, the game seemed to revolve around Powe.
He got himself to the line three times in the first two minutes of Period 2, the third time the result of being fouled on one of his beautiful spin moves. He made five of those six freebies. And it was his traffic layup 3-point play that created the aforementioned 36-26 lead.
"Leon was terrific," said Rivers. "I thought he was terrific in Game 1, too. We made a concerted effort to get him the ball. We needed to start out the game that way. In the first six minutes, we established no post game. We actually had to go to Leon to establish a post game. So I was happy that Leon could do it."
