Switch Turns Offense On

Coach Steve Lavin said it’s no coincidence that the Bruins have had a jump in offensive efficiency since switching Earl Watson from a wing position to point guard and Baron Davis from point to wing.

After contemplating the switch for a month or so, UCLA made the move before the USC game Jan. 21 and has averaged 95.5 points and made 58.3% of its field-goal tries in four consecutive victories.

The result, Lavin said, is that Davis, the far stronger fastbreak finisher, gets the ball closer to the basket in open-court and half-court situations.

“For whatever reasons, [the move] has kind of been a turnaround for us offensively,” Lavin said. “With Baron, when you kick it ahead to him . . . he’s either in the rim for himself or people are rotating to help and he’s dumping off assists to his teammates.

“And Earl is doing what he does most effectively--he’s escorting the ball up the floor and distributing the ball to the other four players.”