Suns' Fan-Favorite Impresses; More Minutes to Come?

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns dropped another contest on Saturday night to fall to 26-26 on the season.

The short-handed Suns gave the Denver Nuggets a battle for much of the first half, but the lack of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Grayson Allen were all apparent in the second half.

Despite this, several players that are typically found deep within Mike Budenholzer's rotations saw meaningful minutes - Damion Lee, Collin Gillespie, and even TyTy Washington Jr. had moments that impressed.

Perhaps the most conspicuous of the contributions were those of Bol Bol.

The second-year Suns forward made the most of his 33 minutes of action, as he dropped 19 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and blocked 4 shots.

Members of the team had nothing but positive things to say after the conclusion of the game, including Tyus Jones.

“He played extremely well, was ready when his name is called, created an opportunity. He affects the game in so many different ways. He's so unique, uses his length extremely well, can shoot the three, offensive rebounds, blocks, you know, being active on defense. He just affected the game in so many different ways, so just proud of him for staying ready for when his opportunity came.”

Bol shot just 3-10 on three-point looks, but the lack of hesitation can be seen as a positive development for the talented big man - he can be a true "spark plug" in a variety of ways and has rarely played out of control for the better part of a year now.

Budenholzer also lamented about Bol's confidence/upside - and how it's currently resonating with him:

“I mean, it's interesting. I think obviously he's been around our group for a while, and I think there's a lot of confidence from his teammates and I think that really helps him. He has a quiet way about him, but I think there is a lot of inner confidence, so it's been good for him to get the opportunity, be ready for the opportunity, and take advantage of the opportunity.”

Bol hasn't received many opportunities this season after being seen as a potential ideal fit within Budenholzer's scheme - whether that is due to Plumlee's seniority, Bol's awkward fit within many defensive sets or anything between.

Despite the challenges of getting on the court, Bol has continued to embrace the team, city, and working hard through the trials.

Budenholzer even alluded to the potential that Bol has earned more looks moving forward within the context of the rotation - Jusuf Nurkic being shipped out certainly didn't hurt his case.

Bol will look to continue the momentum built on Saturday night and be a true catalyst for a second-half turnaround in Phoenix.