Bulls’ Watson hopes to keep hot hand
When the Bulls fell behind early against Indiana on Friday, backup point guard C.J. Watson provided a nice spark.
Watson ended up scoring 15 points in the preseason opener, just 1 behind team leaders Derrick Rose and Luol Deng.
That’s the sort of thing the Bulls had in mind when they executed a sign-and-trade with Golden State a year ago to bring in Watson as backup point guard.
It didn’t always work, though. Playing backup to Rose didn’t offer many opportunities. Watson watched his playing time drop from 27.5 minutes per game with the Warriors to 13.3 with the Bulls last season.
Not surprisingly, his shooting percentage also fell, from .468 to .371. It’s a challenge at any level of basketball to find a hot hand while given low minutes.
“It’s tough, yes, but I know that I’m playing behind one of the best point guards in the NBA,” Watson said Sunday at the Berto Center. “And we’re winning and going to the playoffs. So if I have to sacrifice minutes for that, that’s what I’ll do.”
Watson’s best moment last season came in the only game he started in place of an injured Rose, when he poured in 33 points at Denver on Nov. 26. Over the final 84 games, including playoffs, Watson reached double-figure scoring just three more times.
“There’s nothing really you can do,” Watson said. “It’s kind of hard coming off the bench and playing such limited minutes. But I’ve just got to go out there and do what I can in the minutes I’m given.”
Rose picked up 2 fouls in the first two minutes of Friday’s win at Indiana. Watson responded by going 3-for-3 from 3-point range as the Bulls rallied from a 13-point deficit.
“That’s really the way he’s played the entire camp,” coach Tom Thibodeau said of Watson. “He’s come in in great shape, playing with a lot of confidence. We know he plays great defense, can run his team, is a great pick-and-roll player.
“He’s playing at a high level right now.”
Unless Rose gets injured, Watson’s playing time doesn’t figure to change much.
He’s still going to get meager backup minutes, and with former Detroit shooting guard Richard Hamilton joining the lineup, Watson may get fewer chances to play with Rose in the backcourt.
“C.J. is always C.J,” Rose said. “He’s an attack-first point guard where he’s got to get the flow of the game, get his teammates involved. But he’s a scorer. He knows how to get to the line. He’s in great shape right now and he’s helping us.”
Watson played 22 minutes against the Pacers, which is more than he got in any regular-season game last season, other than the one he started against Denver.