Suns’ Bol Bol throws down eurostep dunk in blowout win over Blazers

Phoenix Suns center Bol Bol was part of the rotation early in Monday’s 109-88 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, and it didn’t take long for him to make the most of it.

Bol entered the game to start the second quarter with the Suns trailing 29-20, and he gathered a rebound and went the distance for a eurostep dunk in transition in quick order.

Bol Bol goes coast-to-coast for the transition slam 🤧 pic.twitter.com/P08ZzSDF8Z

— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 2, 2024

The dunk, which brought Phoenix within three, sparked the Suns even further, who rattled off eight straight after that. All things considered, it was part of a 14-0 Suns run.

The run featured other moments like a transition dunk from Chimezie Metu and Bradley Beal becoming the Suns’ first double-digit scorer. Grayson Allen joined him later in the second quarter.

When Portland finally responded, Bol answered back, making a three for the first time this season. He and Metu fed off each other’s energy, providing defensive versatility in addition to their transition play.

When Bol exited it was 44-38 Suns. In his eight minutes, Phoenix flipped a 29-20 deficit into a six-point lead. Without Kevin Durant, who was sitting out with a sore hamstring, the extra energy from other players with size was crucial.

The Suns maintained that high level of energy through the rest of the half as they built their lead as high as 11, though it was down to eight at the break after Malcolm Brogdon knocked down a late three.

Scoot Henderson paced all scorers for the half at 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He would only finish with 17 on 7-of-18.

Devin Booker was 1-of-13 on the night before he hit a 3 which extended the Suns’ lead to 19 in the third quarter, forcing Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups to call timeout.

Keita Bates-Diop, playing in his first game since Dec. 15, played his most minutes since Dec. 8, providing strong perimeter defense against Portland threats such as Jerami Grant.

In the third, the Suns would build up their lead to as large as 25 entering the fourth, though Bol didn’t play any of the third. He did, however, enter at the start of the fourth.

Jusuf Nurkic led the team in scoring by that point with 18, including nine in the third.

Head coach Frank Vogel was able to pull the starters with a 26-point lead and less than six minutes remaining. Though Booker started 1-of-13, he went 3-for-3 thereafter, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

It marks four straight wins for the Suns (18-15) and keeps the Blazers (9-23) from double-digit wins on the season.