![\"Patrick](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/bd98c94\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4150x2767+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F02%2Fc2%2Fe5d1144843dfa3edaca903bf1c69%2Fbulls-hornets-basketball-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nINDIANAPOLIS \u2014 The question isn\u2019t new.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
At this point it\u2019s been asked so many times even the wording is all starting to sound the same.<\/p>\n
When is it going to click consistently for Bulls forward Patrick Williams?<\/p>\n
Definitely not in Wednesday\u2019s 129-113 loss to Indiana in which Williams went 0-for-5 from the field and seemingly got some extra time on the bench in the third quarter.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it did,\u201d Williams admitted when asked if that downtime in the third seemed longer than the usual rest he would get.<\/p>\n
He was then asked if he spoke to coach Billy Donovan about it or asked for an explanation.<\/p>\n
\u201cNah, I don\u2019t play the game that way,\u201d Williams said. \u201cNever have I ever asked for extra minutes or touches or anything like that. You play the game and if you\u2019re good enough they\u2019ll get you the ball. That\u2019s kind of how I\u2019ve always played. That\u2019s how I think a team should be run.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s all well and good that Williams isn\u2019t looking to make waves off the court by complaining, but this is now Year 5 for the former No. 4 overall pick, he\u2019s been paid with a new $90 million contract, and it\u2019s time for some consistent return on investment. How about some waves or at least a consistent splash on the court.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, he\u2019s got to be more consistent,\u201d Donovan said after the loss.<\/p>\n
Not really breaking news when it comes to Williams, as the coaching staff has tried different routines with him, as well as different coaches to focus on him. The one doing a lot of the heavy lifting with Williams these days is director of player development Peter Patton, who one source said they\u2019re hoping he can be the \u201cP-Will Whisperer.\u201d<\/p>\n
If felt like Patton was getting somewhere in November, as Williams put together five straight double-digit scoring outputs, even looking more aggressive on the glass and having a nine-assist game mixed in there. A foot injury cost Williams almost a month, however, and now it feels like it\u2019s back to ground zero.<\/p>\n
Considering all the struggles the Bulls had with the Pacers, Wednesday would have been a good time for Williams to say, \u201cMy turn.\u201d He admitted that after the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor sure,\u201d Williams admitted when asked about that being a possible step-up moment for him. \u201cBut to be honest there weren\u2019t many opportunities. We were in the half-court, we didn\u2019t get a chance to play in transition. We were taking the ball out of the net every time or we were fouling.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the half-court it\u2019s obviously a little tougher. We have plays and sets that we run where we trust the ball in Coby (White\u2019s) hands, Zach\u2019s hands, Josh (Giddey\u2019s) hands, Vooch\u2019s (Nikola Vucevic) hands, and I think as of now in my career, at least up to this point, a lot of my buckets have come off closeouts, transitions, getting downhill that way. That\u2019s where I am in my career or where they have me at in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n
He did point out that he wasn\u2019t saying there was a pecking order as much as it\u2019s about his playing style opening up more opportunities when the Bulls are running with pace. His offense comes from transition and kick-out threes.<\/p>\n
Williams said as the game gets into the third and fourth quarters the pace slows down, and so does the number of opportunities he gets.<\/p>\n
An excuse or some truth behind it? The numbers point to the latter, as Williams averaged 5.9 points on 5.1 attempts in the first half of games this season, and 3.7 points on 3.4 attempts in the second half. But is that because the ball isn\u2019t finding him or he\u2019s passing it off?<\/p>\n
Either way, it has to again be addressed if the Bulls want Williams to live up to the contract they gave him.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s not an option right now? Donovan making him a reserve rather than a starter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to sit here and say I\u2019m looking at a lineup change, because I\u2019m not,\u201d Donovan said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It felt like consistency was starting to finally click for the former first-round pick in November, but a foot injury derailed it. Now it feels like the Bulls and Williams are back to ground zero. Williams explains why, while coach Billy Donovan sees no benching from the starting lineup just yet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":24592,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n