Billy Donovan Gets Honest On Matas Buzelis Following Underwhelming Performance

Donovan decided to roll with Buzelis, but the decision didn’t work out the way the veteran coach would have hoped. Buzelis was disqualified with 5:10 remaining in the fourth after just 12 minutes of action, although the Bulls already had a somewhat comfortable 99-89 lead at that point. 

Trusting the Young Star

Given Buzelis’ struggles in similar situations as a rookie, Donovan’s decision to stick with the 21-year-old took many by surprise. However, Donovan was adamant that it was the best decision for the team at that moment in time. 

“Listen, Matas is a really good player,” Donovan said. “He's worked hard. To be honest with you, I put him back in because I thought that was the best thing for our team at that point in time, to give him a chance. Just with his length, and it gave us some size, some rebounding, maybe someone that can give us an extra punch offensively, to get downhill and get to the rim.

Based on the flashes Buzelis has shown, there's no denying the sheer talent of the forward.

“I wasn't sitting over there saying, ‘Oh, let's just give him a chance, because maybe last year didn't have it’. I did it because I thought that was the best thing at that moment in time. And, you know, again, he was short-lived because he wasn't out there very long. But these are learning experiences for him. 

Donovan also made it clear that he believed the decision was the best thing for Buzelis, due to the challenge of facing a surefire playoff contender in the Magic, in addition to the fact that it’s just part of the natural trial and error of making his way as an NBA player. 

“This is what I was trying to say about him,” Donovan said. “He's got to go through this. He’s just going to go through it. He played against a really, really long, physical front court that really, really rebounds and really challenges you defensively, taking it into the paint. He's got to learn to pull his hands back. He's got to learn sometimes to, you know, to put his body there and hold his ground..."

Buzelis will look to bounce back on Monday in a home contest against the Atlanta Hawks.