The Rap Up: The Raptors may have found a gem in Norman Powell, but can he hold his own in the playoffs?

Finding gems in the draft is key for a contending team, and the Raptors may have found a diamond in the rough with Norman Powell.

Powell's ceiling may not be at the level of a superstar. Personally, I see a lot of Kent Bazemore's qualities in his game, and can have a Bruce Bowen, Tony Allen-like ceiling on defense.

But that potential won't help the Raptors in a couple of weeks, when they enter the postseason. Fans are concerned about putting a rookie out on the floor in a first-round series they must win.

DeMarre Carroll was brought in to lead the team on the defensive end, but he suffered a setback during his rehab about three weeks ago that caused him to be sidelined longer than initially expected.

Chris Mannix and Bobby Marks of The Vertical explain why the decision to shut down Carroll might be wise for the Raptors.

Whether or not doctors give him the green light to play, it might be wise for the Raptors to keep him out of the lineup for the remainder of the season. The Raptors gave him one of the largest free agent contracts in franchise history, and if there's a chance for him to aggravate the injury, shutting him down might be the best move for the future.

That decision will not be made before the end of the regular season, when the Raptors know who their first round opponent will be.

If Carroll is held back in the postseason, Norman Powell will be the first name called upon.

The Raptors eased Powell into the lineup near the tail end of the season, giving him starts during favourable matchups such as Portland (C.J. McCollum) and Boston (Avery Bradley).

Right now, Detroit, Indiana and Chicago are the most likely opponents. The rookie matches up well against two of those teams.

But in a must-win series, can Powell be trusted to contribute for the Raptors?

The rookie has some things going for him. He was given minutes because of his defensive capabilities, and his confidence on the offensive end grew from there. His last nine games (all starts) have been stellar for a second-round pick.

Powell played four years in college, and at 22 years old, is more NBA ready than people think. Since joining the UCLA team as a freshman, he has steadily improved every aspect of his game. Powell was also a key member of the Bruins' 2014 NCAA Tournament run where they were seeded fourth and made it to the Sweet 16.

He became the leader for them in his senior season, and played with a lot of NBA talent during his tenure with UCLA, including Zach LaVine, Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams, Shabazz Muhammad and Kevon Looney.

Going up against Monta Ellis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would not be as arduous a task as some of the players he's had to match up against during the season.

Containing Ellis especially, would be a great contribution to the team. The Pacers are thin on scoring options behind Paul George, who is going to get his own regardless.

Detroit is another story. The Pistons have two main threats in Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond. KCP has improved greatly this year (should be a consideration for the league's most improved player), but he hasn't shown that consistency needed to take over games.

The fact that the Raptors trust him to guard the opponent's best offensive threat helps take heat off Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. That alone, is invaluable. His defensive effort keeps them fresh on offense, something the Raptors lacked the past couple of postseasons.

College seniors have proven to be useful assets in the NBA playoffs. My previous comparison, Tony Allen, started three games for the Celtics in 2005 and had a positive impact guarding Reggie Miller and Stephen Jackson.

Powell has been playing smart, productive basketball as of late. He's been making the right passes, rotating the ball, pushing the ball on fast breaks and shooting well from the corners.

Losing Carroll might be an issue if the Raptors make it to the Conference Finals against the Cavaliers, but that's a problem for later. The Raptors are going to take it one game at a time. They've got to get there before discussing "what ifs."

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