Patrick Williams is beginning to return to his familiar self, and it couldn’t come at a better time for the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls got by without their power forward for most of the season. Williams hasn’t been healthy for a single game. He attempted to play through a sprained ankle in the opening four games, then dislocated and tore several ligaments in his left wrist, forcing him to miss 65 games.
But with two explosive quarters in a thrilling overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, the 2020 first-round pick issued a reminder that he’s ready for the moment — even after a five-month stint on the sidelines.
“Those are the types of games everybody wants to be in,” Williams said. “Those are the games we work for. Those are the games (when) all your hard work pays off. The blowouts are cool, but the down-to-the-wire, gritty games, those are the ones that mean the most.”
First, however, the Bulls need Williams to just shoot. Despite finishing with 10 points against the Clippers, Williams didn’t take a shot until he sank a three in the fourth quarter. He similarly failed to take a shot against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
When Williams stokes his confidence, he’s a walking highlight reel — pawing passes out of the air for breakaway baskets, cutting backdoor for two-handed slams, sinking corner 3-pointers. Coach Billy Donovan continues to encourage the young forward to bring his aggressive edge back into games.
“(Donovan) just pulled me to the side and said, ‘When you get the ball in open-floor situations, be aggressive putting the ball on the floor,’ ” Williams said. “Those were his exact words … and it’s not the first time that he or anybody has said that to me.”
One backdoor cut against the Clippers exemplified how Williams can help the Bulls break down defenses intent on double-teaming leading scorer DeMar DeRozan.
With 90 seconds left in overtime, the Clippers attempted to trap DeRozan at the top of the arc. But the Bulls broke those traps by flipping the ball to Alex Caruso in the nail — the area in the paint around the free-throw line — and then down to Williams, who was streaking in from the 3-point line.
The trap has been a common tactic for opponents in the latter third of the season. DeRozan is averaging 28 points on 50.5% shooting and has taken over many games in the fourth quarter.
DeRozan scored a season-high 50 points Thursday, including 17 in the fourth and 10 in overtime.
Teams know they can’t stop him entirely, but slowing DeRozan can be enough to knock the Bulls out of rhythm. And it has worked — the Bulls entered Saturday’s game against the Miami Heat at the United Center down more than four points per game since the All-Star break, dropping from fourth to 26th in offensive rating.
To break out of the scoring rut, the Bulls are focusing on a return to their roots, which emphasize a high volume of passes to spread the floor and counteract their lack of size.
“When we play that version (of ourselves), we’re a really good team,” Caruso said.
Williams is the perfect player to help DeRozan beat the double-team. Williams is agile enough to make quick cuts from outside arc to the rim and strong enough to contest big men in the paint. But his outside shooting accuracy keeps defenders honest, which spreads out the defense to create collapsible holes when the second player activates the double-team trap.
The pass that breaks a trap isn’t the first one by DeRozan; it’s the second, made by whichever player he connects with out of the double-team. By making himself available in the pocket, Caruso sucked a defender up higher into the paint, creating a wide-open channel along the baseline from the corner to the low block.
Once DeRozan dumped the ball to Caruso, that path only remained open for a second, but it was enough for a well-timed cut to lead to an easy basket. If defenses don’t adjust, that cut will be open for unguarded layups all night. But of course opponents will adjust, which then will pull defenders inward from the 3-point line, allowing players such as Williams, Zach LaVine and Javonte Green unencumbered shots from the corner.
As the regular season draws to a close, the Bulls don’t plan to rely on Williams. Donovan is still weighing when — and how — to reintegrate the forward into the starting lineup, especially as he continues to work through a minutes restriction.
But a breakout postseason from Williams could be the type of lift the Bulls need to reinvigorate their offense. As the playoffs near, DeRozan said he’ll continue to coach his young teammate on what it takes to make an impact.
“Don’t let anything catch you off guard,” DeRozan said. “Whether it’s defensively, offensively — always try to think a step ahead. I just consistently let him know that, especially in big games, big moments. And (Thursday night) he made all the right decisions.”
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