Norman Powell, Toronto Raptors
Apr 24, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell (24) and centre Jakob Poeltl (42) celebrate a basket during the fourth quarter in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors won 118-93. USA TODAY Sports / Nick Turchiaro

Second-year shooting guard Norman Powell scored a career postseason-high 25 points Monday as the Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-93 to assert a 3-2 lead in their first-round playoff series. Powell, drafted in the second round in 2015, was inserted into the starting line up in Game 4 when the Raptors were trailing the Bucks 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

The Raptors have looked like a different unit since moving forward Serge Ibaka to the 5 spot besides starting Powell alongside All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry in the backcourt. The small-ball line up has comfortably outscored Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks since the line up change with the Raptors primed to qualify for a second round showdown against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Since becoming a starter, Powell is averaging 18.5 points, 4 points and 4 rebounds while making a perfect 7/7 from three-point range. After Monday's victory, Raptors coach Dwane Casey called Powell "the x-factor" of the team. "He's been spark plug. In this series, he's been the X-factor," Casey said, via ESPN.

Norman Powell adds new dimension to Raptors starting unit

On Monday, Powell finished with a tally of 25 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and a block besides bringing the home crowd to its feet with a baseline dunk over Bucks forwards Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker in the final quarter. The amazing sequence propelled the partisan crowd to chant "Raps in 6".

Jason Kidd, coach of the Bucks, acknowledged that the Raptors turned the series on its head by inserting Powell into the starting line up. "Powell has come in with a lot of energy on both sides of the ball and they're feeding off of that. He's playing extremely hard and he's knocking down shots. When you look at the stat sheet, he's picked them up here the last couple of games just with his energy and his spirit."

Incidentally, the Bucks drafted Powell with the No. 46 pick in last year's draft and traded him to the Raptors. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Powell's 7/7 shots from deep over the last four games puts him in elite company. "Powell was 3-of-3 from 3-point range in his Game 4 start, and per the Elias Sports Bureau, that makes him the fifth player to be perfect from 3-point range and make at least three 3-pointers in consecutive postseason games (the others are Jeff Hornacek, Robert Horry, Norris Cole and Mike Miller). Of the seven 3-pointers Powell made, only one was a contested shot, which means he has taken advantage of being the open man," read a report published on ESPN.

Norman Powell and the Toronto Raptors will now try to close out the Bucks on the road during Wednesday's Game 6. If not, the Raptors will have another opportunity to win the series in front of their home fans on Friday. Stay tuned for the latest news and updates surrounding the 2017 NBA Playoffs.