MILWAUKEE – Confidence hasn’t been an issue for Patrick Williams since the day the Bulls made him the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Assertiveness on the offensive side of the ball, showing up late for a shootaround, consistent availability, now those are where there’s been a few stumbles for the power forward, but not in the confidence department.
That was on full display Wednesday, when Williams was discussing his ongoing showdown of drawing the Giannis Antetokounmpo defensive assignment.
“It’s the same way you get ready for anybody else,” Williams said. “First of all don’t be scared. I feel like a lot of people in this league are scared or nervous to guard guys like that. Obviously [Antetokounmpo’s] good, he’s a two-time MVP, but he puts his pants on the same way I do. So just knowing that, he’s good but he’s not God.”
Brash words from the second-year player who still wasn’t old enough to get in any Wisconsin drinking establishments, but then backed up in the Game 2 114-110 Bulls win.
Thanks to Williams and the execution of a stellar defensive game plan, the Bulls made life as difficult as a team can on Antetokounmpo, evening the best-of-seven first-round series 1-1.
It was not only the first time the Bulls beat Milwaukee this season, but the first time they beat a team with a winning percentage over .600 since Nov.10.
And as far as Antetokounmpo? He wasn’t a “God.” He wasn’t even the best player on the floor. That was DeMar DeRozan, who set a new playoff career high with 41 points on 16-of-31 shooting.
Antetokounmpo did finish with 33 points and 18 rebounds, but the effort he had to put in on both ends of the floor was seemingly draining.
