Reflection ruled the day.
Eighteen hours after calling Marcus Fizer “a [bleeping] embarrassment,” Bulls coach Bill Cartwright offered no regrets but called Thursday a new day.
Eleven days after going on the injured list with a sprained ankle, Jay Williams admitted the break helped his mind more and vowed to be a different player.
Williams will be activated Friday, replaced on the injured list by Lonny Baxter. Cartwright is leaning toward bringing the point guard off the bench.
Cartwright called Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers “the worst loss of the year–by far.” But, Cartwright said, the Bulls had one of their better practices of the season Thursday at Nike World Headquarters.
Sports teams face controversies, some major, some minor. What Cartwright and the Bulls consistently show is an ability to start anew without rancor or bitterness.
Here’s Cartwright from Wednesday: “Rick Brunson wasn’t very good. But who was good? Nobody. … Marcus Fizer was terrible, a [bleeping] embarrassment.”
Here’s Cartwright Thursday: “I don’t regret anything. I told these guys this morning, ‘The reason I was upset is because I think you’re good when you play right. And you should be upset too.’ “
For more proof, here’s Fizer from Wednesday, when he was near tears: “Each and every time I took the ball to the basket, I ended up on my head. I would think that would be an example of someone trying to win a ballgame.”
Fizer on Thursday: “It’s time to move on, and that’s what … we’ve done.”
Fizer went 1-for-8 against the Clippers but has been the team’s second-best player since Dec. 6. That’s when he re-entered Cart-wright’s rotation after a string of “did not play–coach’s decisions,” proof that he can handle adversity.
Williams, the much-heralded rookie, has been anything but. Widely expected to be an impact player, Williams shot 18.4 percent this month before missing the last five games for a physical and mental break.
Cartwright said he’s leaning toward keeping Jamal Crawford as the starting point guard so Williams “can work his way back slowly.” How Cartwright handles the rotation at point guard, given the emergence of Rick Brunson will be watched closely Friday.
Williams is eager, no matter.
“I haven’t been playing like myself,” he said. “I’m being passive and that’s not me. And that’s not going to be me [Friday].”
