CJ Watson: The Real Key for a Chicago Bulls Championship

Say what you want about the intangibles that Richard Hamilton brings to the Chicago Bulls, they play second fiddle to the play of CJ Watson when it comes to winning the franchise’s seventh championship.

This is not being said to discount the importance of Hamilton’s contributions. His ability to score and facilitate have and will continue to serve the Bulls very well over the course of this season.

The reasoning behind the claim of Watson’s play being more significant has to do with how their respective skill sets serve the team.

Hamilton’s play is something that is to be added to Rose’s. Hamilton is there to hit the open shot or handle the ball to take some pressure off of Rose when he is on the court.

Watson’s contributions are a bit more critical because it is his job to maintain and improve upon the team’s performance in Rose’s absence.

That doesn’t seem like such a daunting task either.

Watson played in four of the five games Rose missed when he was out treating a turf-toe injury. In those four games Watson averaged 16.5 points and 6.0 assists.

Those are pretty solid numbers that are more than capable of keeping Chicago in winning form if Rose ever has to sit again, and given his recent back troubles, that is not a far-fetched possibility.

Rose doesn’t have to necessarily be out for Watson to play big either.

Watson was a rare bright spot in the Bulls’ blowout loss to the Philadelphia 76ers scoring 20 points and dishing out four assists. He even recently registered a point/assists double-double with 14 and 11 against the New Jersey Nets.

These kinds of performances are going to be the most important piece of a Bulls title run this season.

The health issues that Rose has accumulated so far are bound to flare up again later in the season and maybe even the postseason.

Watson is going to be relied upon frequently to fill in more minutes and make those minutes extremely productive.

The more Watson is able to produce, the more Thibodeau can spare his MVP guard from further agitation of his current ailments and limit the chance of Rose developing any new maladies.

Watson’s double duty of helping to preserve Rose and leading the charge in his place is an exclusive one which is what also makes it the most critical.

Barring any more threatening injuries, mostly everyone else on the Chicago team will play and contribute as expected over the course of the season.

The barometer of the Bulls’ 2012 title chances will be on the play of Watson. If he can continue to step up in big ways, the NBA championship is Chicago’s for the taking.