Suns key player shares his thoughts on his first game as starter alongside Kevin Durant

If there’s one player the Phoenix Suns can’t afford to lose, it’s Kevin Durant. Without him, the team isn’t the same, and his absence is deeply felt by his teammates. While Devin Booker continues to lead the charge, the Suns were also missing another key player—one who shared his thoughts with the media after the game.

Coming off the bench for most of the season, Bol Bol had been waiting for an opportunity to showcase his skills as a starter. That chance finally came against the Memphis Grizzlies, and despite the team’s disappointing result, he delivered a standout performance.

After the game, Bol was asked about his first experience in the starting lineup. “I’m just going in there, doubling up my teammates, coming in and just trying to hit some open shots. I kept the rhythm going in the first half,” Bol said.

Reflecting on his role with the team, he maintained a consistent mindset. “Same mindset—just come in and play hard, whether I’m starting or not,” Bol said. “They want me to contest everything at the rim. Anyone that drives to the basket, anyone scooping it up near the hoop, I have to challenge them,” he added.

Budenholzer reflects on Suns’ performance

Despite Bol Bol’s solid showing in his first start, Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer was candid about the team’s shortcomings and emphasized that the loss warranted further evaluation. He also shared his thoughts on Durant’s impact.

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“I felt like they had a lot of guys who could knock down threes and create separation from us,” Budenholzer said. “They play a dribble-drive game, space the floor well, and were able to capitalize on their shots. Offensively, we struggled to execute, and they ended up with 18 or 19 threes—something like that.”

Budenholzer went on to highlight Durant’s relentless pursuit of greatness. “All the effort he’s put in has led to this 30,000-point milestone. He’s a special human being and a special player.” While Phoenix’s loss to the Grizzlies was a tough blow, Durant’s historic achievement provided a silver lining, momentarily shifting the focus away from the defeat.

Durant opens up on his frustration

With nearly two decades of NBA experience, Durant acknowledged the challenges of dealing with trade rumors. “Probably the most frustrating thing about being in trade talks is that the microscope is going to be solely on me for the rest of the season,” he said.