Sun’s Desperate Gamble! Phoenix Turns to Bol Bol in Last Ditch Effort to Save Season
Despite a quiet trade deadline with no major additions, Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer has turned to a new face in Bol Bol to provide a spark on both ends. The team’s dismal season has them below .500 with a 26-28 record at the All-Star break. It puts them 11th in the Western Conference, with an uphill battle in the second half.
It is a disappointing and unexpected position for a team that boasts one of the NBA’s most talented duos in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Poor health, inconsistency, and lack of cohesion have led to an alarming slide. But after so long watching on from the sidelines, Coach Bud has finally allowed Bol the chance to make an impact, an opportunity he has seized with both hands heading into the mid-season break.
Phoenix Suns Finally Turn to Bol Bol in Bid to Salvage Season
Bol Bol Given Rare Starting Opportunity
The Suns lack size, which is why the re-introduction of Bol has been a long time coming. The 25-year-old stands at seven-foot-three, allowing Durant to shift to SF and giving the lineup more length. Bol has appeared in five straight games, playing significant minutes in the last four. On Tuesday, the Suns gave him his first start with the franchise in their loss against the Memphis Grizzlies. He kept his starting spot the following night at the Houston Rockets. He has started 37 games in his career, mostly for the Orlando Magic.
In the last four games, Bol has averaged 16,0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks, including an 18-point and 14-rebound double-double in his first start. He produced four blocks, combining with Durant for nine in total. His second start was just as impactful, contributing 15 points and two blocks. In the absence of Booker, he was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Durant. Although the Suns have gone 1-3 in this stretch, Bol’s presence has certainly made an impression.
Before this run, Bol had appeared just 12 times this season, playing fewer than 10 minutes in all but two games. It had been an underwhelming campaign for the player, who made strides last season under Frank Vogel. This earned him a second contract in the Valley. A new coaching staff meant he had to work back into the rotation, which he failed to do with limited minutes. But with the Suns’ season in dangerous territory, Bol has been granted greater responsibility in the future.
The Suns’ Defense Is Spiralling
Phoenix has little time left to turn their season around. First, they need to make sure they get into the postseason, as they currently sit outside the play-in. Only 28 games remain, and they do not have much room for error. Furthermore, their remaining schedule is the toughest in the NBA.
With the supreme talent of Booker, Durant and – when healthy – Bradley Beal, alongside the solid supporting cast, which includes Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, the Suns have an offense that can hang with almost any team in the league. Their defense, however, leaves plenty to be desired, particularly in transition. They rank 25th in defensive rating with 115.6, a sharp decline from their 13th-place defense last season. In their last seven games, they have allowed an average of 125.4 points per game, which, over the season, would be the worst in the league behind the Washington Wizards.
While Bol alone is not enough to change a season, the hope is that his energy can provide a boost not just on the court but also for the home crowd. There is always a buzz when he approaches the scorer’s table to enter the game. In what have been weeks of doom and gloom for the Suns, this could offer a lift, and upon their return following a much-needed All-Star break, it will hopefully lead to more wins.
