Pivotal Player: Earl Watson
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
UCLA coach Steve Lavin worried about Earl Watson's role throughout the first
half of the season. He felt that Watson was trying to be Baron Davis,
instead of being more concerned about being Watson.
|  | | Watson ran the UCLA offense to perfection against Maryland. |
Watson isn't a big-time scorer. He's not a high-flying jamming
player, like Davis, either. He's a competent playmaker. But it took until
the last two weeks of the regular season for Watson to figure out his true
role. Once JaRon Rush returned to the lineup, Watson saw that he didn't have
to score as much anymore and relied more on being a true point.
During the NCAA Tournament, Watson blossomed into the premier point
guard in the tournament, outside of Michigan State's Mateen Cleaves. Watson
has 28 assists in two games and had a remarkable 16 assists, four steals, 17
points and no turnovers in the blowout win over Maryland in the second
round.
Watson had a freak eye injury during the game and had to have minor
laser surgery Monday. He's expected to be fine for the Iowa State game. But
he's got to be on his game to get past the Cyclones' Jamaal Tinsley.
Watson's court vision helped jump start the Bruins' offense. If he doesn't
have any residual effects of the surgery, then the Bruins should be fine. If
he's slowed in any way or needs too many breathers, the Bruins could be in
trouble.
Watson starts the break and has choreographed Dan Gadzuric, Jerome
Moiso, Rush and Jason Kapono to fill the lanes along the sidelines. The
Bruins' uptempo offense can't run on its own. Ryan Bailey would be the
replacement but cannot duplicate Watson's instincts offensively. He
certainly can't last 40 minutes. Watson has also been a staple defensively.
Without him at the top of the perimeter, Tinsley will be able to get inside
and create shots for Marcus Fizer, Stevie Johnson, Michael Nurse and
Kantrail Horton.
Watson's assist numbers of 14 a game in the tournament more than
double his production during the regular season. His unselfish play could be
rewarded with a trip to the Elite Eight.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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