Just under five minutes — 4:57, to be exact. That was all the playing time rookie forward Matas Buzelis got in the Bulls’ loss to the Celtics last Friday. He made a basket during his stint in the first quarter but also had several miscues for a minus-7 in the plus/minus category — and that was all coach Billy Donovan needed to see.
Fast forward to Monday night’s game against the Nets, when Buzelis was back in off the bench in his normal rotation spot with much different results, scoring eight points in just under six minutes on his way to 20 points in nearly 22 minutes in a runaway victory. More important, Buzelis was a plus-3 early on, thanks in part to playing more physically.
To Donovan, that’s development — earning minutes and a spot in the rotation rather than it being handed out.
“I’ve never been a real big believer that you just sit there and take young guys, throw minutes at them and think they’re going to get better,” Donovan said. “Matas has had some really, really good moments. [The Celtics game] wasn’t one of them.
“I think there has to be a responsibility and accountability when you’re out there. Not that you have to just make shots, [but also] follow the game plan, blocking out, things that you have control over. So when a young guy is struggling, it’s not that I’m never going to play him again, but at that moment and time, you try and do what is best for the team.”
Against the Celtics, what was best was for Buzelis to watch and learn. The same can be said sometimes for second-year forward Julian Phillips and third-year wing Dalen Terry. The minutes are available for them from night to night, but they can just as easily be taken away.
“We do have to develop Julian, and we do have to develop Matas and Dalen,” Donovan said. “They need opportunities, they need to be out there, but they also need to be accountable to their minutes, too. They have to understand that it’s not just free candy [where] every night you’re just penned in for 25 minutes regardless of what you do. I just don’t know if guys can develop [like that].
“The development part for me is a big, big thing. It’s a whole list. Do they have a routine? Can they get themselves ready to play? Can they follow the game plan? Do they know how to get their rest? Do they know how to eat properly? Do they know how to practice properly? Do they know how to go in there and follow the scouting report? Listen, I’m fine with mistakes. Young players are always going to make mistakes, I get that. But there’s also got to be some responsibility there for them to the team.”
White out
Starting guard Coby White missed his first game of the season against the Nets, dealing with soreness in his left ankle, which he rolled early on against the Celtics but played through.
Donovan didn’t think it would be a long setback for White, but the Bulls, who have two days off before Thursday night’s game in San Antonio, decided to be cautious with him because of the continued soreness.
Williams takes it up a notch
Forward Patrick Williams is ramping up his rehab activity, running and jumping to test his left foot, which has kept him out since Nov. 20 with inflammation. There’s still no estimated return date, but the fact he’s no longer experiencing pain is a good sign.
