Jonah Bolden gave the Philadelphia 76ers a glimpse of what he can do by way of a monster rejection of Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant's shot. Bolden got the opportunity Thursday night as Amir Johnson sat out for the Sixers.
The Sixers are still searching for a viable backup to Joel Embiid. Johnson, drafted straight out of high school all the way back in 2005, has been in and out of Brett Brown's rotation in January after opening the season playing consistent minutes on a game-to-game basis.
The Sixers are reportedly interested in acquiring Atlanta Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon to fill the void behind Embiid before the February 7 trade deadline but might balk at any trade proposal that includes former number one overall draft pick Markelle Fultz, who makes perfect sense for a rebuilding team like Atlanta as a buy-low flier.
What if the Sixers already have Embiid's backup on the roster, though? Bolden is forcefully making that case with this play against the Warriors on Thursday night.
Bolden, inserted into the rotation in late December after notching mostly DNP-CDs over the first two-and-a-half months of the season, is shooting 56.5 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from beyond the arc in January. The problem is that he attempts less than two threes per game, and is uncomfortable with the ball in his hands unless he's shooting standstill jumpers or finishing in the paint. Bolden's lithe 220-pound frame is suboptimal, too, though he has flashed quick feet switching out onto ball handlers defensively – a trait that looms especially large against a team like the Warriors.
Bolden has eight points, five rebounds, two blocks, and two steals late in the fourth quarter of a thrilling game in Oakland.
Follow Us
Subscribe