Norman Powell 34 points vs Pelicans (Jan 4, 2026): season-best Game Score
34 PTS · 11-of-15 FG · 9-of-12 3P · 3-of-4 FT · 28:48 MIN
Usual before this game: 24.1 PTS · 16.6 FGA · 31.1 MIN, from 30 regular-season games
Best Game Score of 31 games this season: 31.3 against a usual 17.1 (+14.2)
above usual
No more than 3 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did Norman Powell score 34 points?
In 28:48 against the Pelicans on Jan 4, 2026, Norman Powell scored 34 points: 11-of-15 from the field (73.3%), 9-of-12 from three (75.0%), 3-of-4 on free throws. Before this game, Powell averaged 24.1 points on 16.6 shots in 31.1 minutes across 30 regular-season games. By Game Score it was the best of 31 games this season. Powell shot 73.3% from the field, against a usual 48.1%. From threes, 27 points against a usual 8.7; from two-pointers, 4 points against a usual 10.1; from free throws, 3 points against a usual 5.3. Playing time was 28:48, against a usual 31.1 minutes; per 36 minutes, the Game Score was 39.1, against a usual 19.8. The Heat won 125-106 at home against the Pelicans. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Powell in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (30 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 28:48 | 31.1 | -2.3 |
| Points | 34 | 24.1 | +9.9 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 15 · 73.3% | 16.6 · 48.1% | -1.6 · +25.2 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 12 · 75.0% | 7.2 · 40.3% | +4.8 · +34.7 |
| FTA · FT% | 3-of-4 | 6.1 · 86.8% | -2.1 |
| Rebounds | 3 | 3.8 | -0.8 |
| Assists | 3 | 2.6 | +0.4 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2.0 | -2.0 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 30 games | 22.6 | 27.9 | -5.3 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 39.1 | 19.8 | +19.3 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (30 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 27 (9-of-12) | 8.7 (2.9-of-7.2) | +18.3 |
| Twos | 4 (2-of-3) | 10.1 (5.1-of-9.4) | -6.1 |
| Free throws | 3 (3-of-4) | 5.3 (5.3-of-6.1) | -2.3 |
| Total | 34 | 24.1 | +9.9 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
31.3 against a usual 17.1 (+14.2)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +12.1 |
| Rebounds | -0.4 |
| Assists | +0.3 |
| Steals and blocks | +0.5 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +1.7 |
| Total | +14.2 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of 31 games this season.
Previous best: 27.7, set on Nov 14, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Heat won 125-106 at home against the Pelicans.
- Previous appearance: Jan 3, 2026, 1 day earlier.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Pelicans this season.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.