While he hasn’t played a central role in the Milwaukee Bucks’ growing success this season, there are reasons as to why we shouldn’t worry about Brook Lopez.
At 9-5 nearly one month into their 2020-21 season, the Milwaukee Bucks have performed up to expectations after such a busy offseason.
That may hit a different tone than one would expect, especially after the Bucks experienced a close loss to the Brooklyn Nets Monday night, their biggest foe standing in the Eastern Conference. But after such a whirlwind offseason, the Bucks have handled an uncertain season as positively as they can through this checkpoint.
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
As the Bucks continue to integrate and find their way to a new identity and ideals, it has altered the roles of their holdover players, such as Brook Lopez. Through his 14 appearances, Lopez is averaging 9.7 points on .414/.351/.824 shooting, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks across 27.1 minutes per game.
Nothing about Lopez’s play has been particularly concerning, especially in comparison to some aspects of his play last season. However, the fact that he’s been more of a tertiary figure in the Bucks’ success has affected the impact he has had over his time in Milwaukee.
So without further ado, let’s dive into the few reasons why Brook Lopez’s start is nothing to worry about for the Milwaukee Bucks this 2020-21 season.
Reason no. 3 – Brook’s role is changing
The aforementioned changes that the Bucks underwent over their busy offseason has certainly affected the role that Lopez has played through four weeks into their run this season.
To that point, Lopez is posting a career-lows in usage percentage (14.4 percent) and points per game (9.7) and touches per game (29.7) over his 380 total minutes of play.
Of course, there a few reasons for that, some of which go beyond the slew of personnel changes the Bucks over the fall and winter. Lopez’s dire shooting slump last year has since been corrected and we’ve seen fewer post up touches for him, especially as the Bucks’ offensive system has fundamentally changed as The Athletic’s Eric Nehm ($$) recently detailed.
While that may be so, the Bucks are always in need of Lopez’s off-ball shooting and floor spacing to open up room for the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton to operate effectively. Think of it as Lopez recapturing the role that he performed for the Bucks in his first season and it certainly explains why he’s been more of a defined role player than he ever has been while wearing a Bucks uniform.
Reason no. 2 – Brook’s sturdy rim protection
As the Bucks have started to experiment and showed more signs of flexibility under head coach Mike Budenholzer, Lopez has still remained key to the Bucks’ overall identity, especially on defense.
For all of the criticism laid at the Bucks’ feet regarding their drop-back defensive scheme and how it fares in the playoffs, they’ve been a well-oiled machine when it comes to protecting the paint and the basket. Lopez has been at the center of that and it led to him landing on last season’s All-Defensive second team.
This season has largely been no different from the Stanford product, even as the Bucks haven’t been as elite protecting the rim from their opponents.
Lopez has played a part in that as his block rate has fallen from 7.9 percent in 19-20 to 5.3 percent this season. And while he remains gifted in being able to alter shots taken at the rim, Lopez’s 48.4 defended field goal percentage on shot attempts taken within six feet of the basket is down from the towering 44.1 percent he recorded in that department last season.
As the Bucks’ best rim protector, Lopez’s subtle slide could be attributable to the Bucks’ overall fundamental changes on that side of the ball. And with Lopez being best utilized in the defensive role he has occupied since arriving to Milwaukee, there is a source of tension that exists when the Bucks will have to pivot away from their prized scheme, which obviously affects Lopez’s usage.
Still, this is a Bucks team that prides itself on a being a defensive team first and foremost. Whenever Lopez is on the floor, they will look to protect the paint and by allowing 42.4 opponent paint points, good for fourth in the league, the Bucks still know where their bread is buttered when the seven-footer is on the floor.
Reason no. 1 – Brook’s improved shooting from 3-point range
For the majority of the Bucks’ run during the 2019-20 season, before the season shutdown and their arrival to the bubble, Lopez had been mired in a lengthy shooting slump.
No less than a year before where he had fully optimized the Bucks’ five-out offensive system, Lopez’s offensive effectiveness was dulled by his misfiring from long distance. After trying to incorporate more looks in the post to raise his offensive abilities to shake him out of his extended cold spell, the layoff between the season shutdown and the bubble helped Lopez find his range again.
That has carried into this season as he’s now shooting 26-for-74 from beyond the arc, good for 35.1 percent. In fact, Lopez has never shot better on catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts over his time in Milwaukee as he’s gone 24-for-67 (35.8 percent) on such shots to start the year.
It’s certainly good to see Lopez have such great success from behind the 3-point line as he’s been more reliant on the 3-ball for his overall scoring compared to last season, as evidenced by his 63.8 3-point attempt rate.
Whatever the cause was for Lopez’s extensive shooting slide last season, it has fortunately not resurfaced for almost as long as it had existed. And if the veteran big man can continue filling it up from three, it will only fortify the Bucks’ league-leading offense as the season goes along.