The folks at With Malice have organized an Unsung Player Day and I’d like to recognize Leon Powe.
I don’t know too many people outside of Boston fans and University of California fans that know who Leon Powe is, but those that have been watching him this year know what a hidden gem he is.
He dropped in the draft because of injury concerns but has not missed a day due to those injuries. He pretty much defines the term "undersized power forward" but he’s never backed down from any matchup. The Celtics drafted the more recognizable Big Baby Davis, but Leon hasn’t given up his spot in the rotation. Much like KG, he never takes a play off and he plays tough team defense. Powe even scores more points per game (7.2) than James Posey and Tony Allen.
Other teams may look past him, which is exactly what we want. He’ll be picking up a loose ball or putting back an offensive foul for a bucket, or setting his feet to pick up an offensive foul, and he’ll change the momentum of the game in our favor. He’s one of those guys that nobody thinks about until they have to play him in the playoffs and then they wonder how they let this guy be the difference in the game.
I can’t wait to see Leon Powe in the playoffs. They’ll be singing his praises then.