Rounding out starting lineup at the 5-spot
As expected upon his signing a week into free agency in the summer, Lopez has immediately slotted into the Bucks’ starting five at the center position under Coach Bud throughout training camp and preseason.
That’s not a particularly surprising development and the upgrade he poses over the Bucks’ big men holdovers can’t be understated.
Lopez’s skill-set is one that is tailor-made to supplement Antetokounmpo’s wide-ranging of skills and talents, and the brief glimpses we’ve seen of Lopez sharing time with the Bucks superstar have already pointed to how lethal they can be as a combo.
Even with excitement that the addition of Lopez can take the Bucks’ starting unit to new heights, it should be noted that the Bucks’ most used starting lineups last year were successful in their own right amidst all the chaos.
That isn’t to say that can’t be outdone this year and Budenholzer’s presence has and will certainly guide the Bucks’ starters into becoming a well-oiled machine. That’s where Lopez’s presence alone might change the potency of that lineup throughout the season, should everything break the right way.
Be sure to keep coming around here to Behind the Buck Pass for more individual season previews in the lead up to the start of the 2018-19 NBA season.