The Denver Nuggets received some reinforcements in their second game at Las Vegas Summer League on Tuesday with Bones Hyland, Zeke Nnaji, and other members of the roster exiting health and safety protocols to play against the Boston Celtics. Bones had a strong debut, while Zeke struggled in his first minutes.
The biggest story though was Bol Bol, who put together a strong performance against Boston that showcased a little bit of everything exciting about him as an NBA prospect. 26 points on 8-of-12 from the field, 3-of-4 from three-point range, and 7-of-10 from the free throw line highlighted his all around scoring skills. He flew high for dunks, ran the floor in transition, led fast break opportunities to showcase his ball handling, and showed off the range with his three-point opportunities. In addition, another 10 trips to the free throw line after 14 free throws in Game 1 highlight his ability to draw fouls as opponents remain puzzled how to stop him from getting easy shots, either at the rim or with his jumper.
In addition to the 26 points, Bol also grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots, showcasing more willingness to battle on the boards and play solid interior defense than in the first game. His hustle and motor were at higher levels as well, a good sign for a big man as skilled as him.
The Nuggets are still trying to figure out the best place for Bol in their rotation, whether he’s playing small forward, power forward, or center. So far, Bol has spent most of his time at center enjoying the space and freedom it offers him on the offensive end, and how he continues to develop as a defender, rebounder, and supporting option will likely determine just how far he can go. Still, it’s great to see Bol score efficiently and effectively in the rhythm of Denver’s offense. He found some chemistry with Bones Hyland, who had seven assists and the majority of them to Bol. That’s a fun combo.
Here are the highlights from Bol’s performance:
