Crawford brings own rooting section.(Chicago Tribune)

SEATTLE_No matter where Jamal Crawford travels, his watch, his pager and his cell phone are set to Pacific Standard Time, or "Seattle time," as the Bulls' rookie point guard and native son calls it.

Now that he's home his time is correct, which seems fitting given that time of another sort_playing time_is right with Crawford as well. Crawford has seen his role steadily increase of late, including a 22-minute effort Thursday night in which he scored six points and had four assists and four rebounds.

"Not playing at first this season was a big adjustment," Crawford said. "I thought I had a really good chance going into camp to play. It didn't work out that way. But I know my time will come."

Crawford's time came Thursday at the 3:01 mark of the first quarter, when he entered to applause. The reaction wasn't a surprise because Crawford put many of those fans in their seats_literally. Crawford bought close to 80 tickets and also got Gary Payton, his friend from the Sonics, to lend him his Key Arena suite to accommodate more friends and family members.

It has been that kind of week and that kind of homecoming for Crawford, who will have his No. 23 retired by Rainier Beach High School in a ceremony Friday night. His girlfriend and the mother of his son, Eric, is a junior at the school and Crawford attended her basketball game Wednesday. He has been besieged by local radio and TV stations. And he brought his family, his agent, Aaron Goodwin; high school teammates, high school coach, Mike Bethea; and his high school athletic director to Thursday's game.

"It's been crazy," Crawford said, admitting to a case of nerves, especially about guarding Payton, a mentor. "Just two years ago I was playing here on the high school level. Now I'm at the ultimate level. It's pretty amazing, isn't it?

"I've learned a lot both on and off the court."