From guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo to maintaining an aggressive mentality at the offensive end, there is a lot on Bulls forward Patrick Williams plate in these NBA Playoffs.
Williams played 23 minutes in Game 1 — his NBA Playoff debut — scoring five points, pulling down three rebounds and making 1-of-3 field-goal attempts. There were also four free-throw tries generated by a pair of strong drives. But Billy Donovan still noticed too many eschewed opportunities to attack.
This is an oft-repeated mantra, and the Bulls’ coach established in the regular season that playing time is not promised to the former fourth overall pick if he isn’t playing with the proper decisiveness. That’s especially true in the postseason, where every possession — and every missed opportunity — carries elevated stakes.
This is the teetering balance the Bulls are walking with Williams. While Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr. are capable wing defenders, Williams is by far the most physically equipped player on the Bulls’ roster to check Antetokounmpo defensively, and he has flashed the ability to punish opponents by knocking down spot-up jumpers and driving closeouts at the other end. Williams needs to play — and play well — for his team to keep this series competitive.
“People have to stop looking at the fact — and I get it, guy was the fourth player taken in the draft a year ago — we dealt with COVID, guy came off a wrist injury and he's 20 years old and this is his first playoff experience. These are going to be all learning and growing opportunities for him,” Donovan said of Williams. “He missed five months of growing [this season].
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