CHICAGO (670 The Score) – Once again, the Bulls are imploring fourth-year forward Patrick Williams to be more assertive.
The latest development in that frustrating saga came just 2 minutes, 45 seconds into the Bulls' eventual 106-102 loss to the Raptors in preseason action Tuesday at the United Center, as coach Billy Donovan yanked Williams from the game early due to his lack of aggression in rebounding and setting screens. While Donovan has mixed and matched different five-man units often throughout the preseason, this wasn't a pre-planned move. It was a spur-of-the-moment choice because Donovan wanted to share a message for Williams.
"I just thought there was a lot of opportunities for him to get to the backboard and offensive rebound," Donovan said. "We had kind of talked about it, and I just didn't like the way we kind of came out. It's not even about him missing or making shots or being aggressive. I think athletically, there's things he can get in. There was an opportunity, like one of the first possessions, where he could've really laid a good screen and he tried to slip out of it."
Donovan didn't display any anger in explaining his thought process but rather was matter of fact about what the Bulls need from the 22-year-old Williams, who had just three rebounds in 21 minutes Tuesday. Rebounding has been a weakness for the 6-foot-7 Williams for his entire NBA career, as he has averaged just 5.1 rebounds per 36 minutes across his first three seasons.
"We can't run away from physicality and think you're going to outrun it," Donovan said of Williams. "You're going to have to lean into it and not necessarily meet force with force, but you're going to have to screen and free each other up and help each other that way. And I think that as the game wore on and certainly in that fourth quarter, I thought he was way more aggressive trying to go to the backboard and trying to get to the rim on finishes and he took his shots when they were there. That was good. But I thought, first of all, I wanted to talk to him too about it. Because we had talked about some of that even before the game."
Williams has had a starting role for the Bulls in the preseason, but Donovan has also been making a point to work him in with the second unit, where Williams can have the freedom to do more offensively. While Williams currently is in the starting five, veteran forward Torrey Craig has played well in the preseason with his new team. And at the outset of training camp, Donovan already noted that the starting power forward spot could change as the season progresses depending on matchups, fit and production.
For his part, Williams didn't make much of getting yanked early Tuesday.
"Just play my game pretty much," Williams said of the message that Donovan gave him. "Might have been overthinking there early on. It wasn't much of anything really. Just play your game. That was pretty much it."
And why has rebounding been such a challenge for Williams?
"I wouldn't say it's been a challenge," Williams said. "I think it's definitely something I can do. I don't think that's a secret, that I can rebound the ball. It's more so going back and getting it, just having the mindset of going in to offensive rebound, defensive rebound, getting us an extra possession.
"It's just a mindset. Physically, it's nothing I can't do – offensive rebound or defensive rebound and get us started on the break. It's just a mindset."
Donovan's plea for Williams to play more forcefully came on a night that ended especially poorly for Williams. With the Bulls trailing 103-102 with 37 seconds left, Williams committed a turnover by standing out of bounds on the sideline when he received a kickout pass. After Chicago got a stop, Williams then missed a driving go-ahead layup attempt with 11 seconds left that would've given the Bulls the lead.
Williams scored 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting to go with his three rebounds, two assists and four turnovers.
"A good set from Billy, we executed it well," Williams said of his missed go-ahead shot late. "Get me at the top, Ayo (Dosunmu) coming off (a screen). I got to the rim, just missed it. I think the execution was there. Just got to finish it. Ten times out of 10, I think I'm making that. I think it was good that we executed, good to see that we executed it. It's just having the confidence to do it again next time."
Cody Westerlund is an editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.
