Old habits die hard.
Norm Powell bumped fists and shook hands with his teammates, trotted out to midcourt at Tampa’s Amalie Arena and took up his usual spot around the centre circle to begin Sunday night’s Raptors game.
And then it hit him.
He was on the wrong side of the circle, he wasn’t alongside his usual Toronto teammates, and he quickly and a bit sheepishly got in the right place to make his second start with the Portland Trail Blazers.
It was the beginning of an odd and emotional night for Powell, the Raptors and the Blazers, who were facing off just three days after a trade the sent the six-year Toronto veteran to Portland.