Patrick Williams' Minutes Jumped by 14 With a Bulls Teammate Out
Over his last three games last season, Williams averaged 34 minutes a night, 14 more than his season mark, whenever a teammate was sidelined.
Patrick Williams played 14 more minutes a night than his season average over his last three games last season, each time with a Bulls teammate out of the lineup.
For the 2025-26 season, through 72 games, Williams averaged 20.5 minutes and 7 points a game. Over his last three games, through April 12, 2026, he averaged 34 minutes and 12 points. That is a jump of 14 minutes and 5 points from his season pace, all inside a three-game stretch.
The gap matters because it shows what the Bulls do with Williams when the rotation is short a body. Fourteen extra minutes is not a spot start. It is a full role change, the kind that only shows up when someone else cannot play.
Whether that role sticks depends on the teammate who was out. If that player returns healthy, Williams' minutes likely settle back toward his season average of 20.5. If the absence continues, or the Bulls decide the last three games are worth building on, Williams could keep the expanded role even after the lineup is whole again.
Right now, the sample is three games. That is enough to notice, not enough to call permanent. The next few games after April 12, once the injured teammate's status is clear, will show whether this was a short-term fix or the start of something the Bulls plan to keep.