Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from 123-112 Game 5 win over Atlanta Hawks

Brook Lopez delivers a legacy performance in the Milwaukee Bucks’ Game 5 win

Without question, the Bucks’ Game 5 win over the Hawks will very much serve as Brook Lopez‘s signature performance since coming to Milwaukee nearly three years ago.

Lopez finished with a Bucks career-high 33 points on 14-for-18 shooting (0-for-2 from long distance, 5-for-7 from the free throw line), seven boards, four blocks, two steals in 37-and-a-half minutes of action.

Lopez was the primary beneficiary of the Bucks’ penetration and was responsible for 26 of the Bucks’ 66 paint points on the night. With all of the pressure the Bucks put on the rim, it opened up the lane for Lopez to hammer home some impressive dunks and turning into ‘Smash Mountain.’ And to that point, 12 of Lopez’s made field goals were assisted and was 13-for-14 on shots taken inside the paint.

Defensively, Lopez was the enforcing rim protector the Bucks have seen over the last three years and beyond the four blocks he finished with, Lopez made last-second alters to disrupt shot attempts at the basket for the Hawks. There just aren’t many bigs who can make a recovery like this when getting beaten off the dribble like Lopez does on Hawks guard Kris Dunn.

Over the last three years and the Bucks’ playoff runs, we’ve seen Lopez rise up to the moment and when they need it most. And as he talked about after the game with ESPN’s Royce Young, Lopez has just done all that has been asked of him, all in the name of helping out his team:

"“I’m just trying to go out there and help my team however possible. Whether it’s playing that new, modern 3-ball game, floor stretch game, or being inside,” Lopez said. “What was great about today is we were all really just basketball players, on offense and defense. We were playing off one another, making plays, making extra passes. It was a lot of fun tonight.”"

When we look back on Lopez’s stint in Milwaukee and the many highlights, this game will certainly stand atop of that list, though he has plenty more time to top this performance under similar stakes.

The Bucks will look to close out their Conference Finals series with the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 Saturday night at State Farm Arena. You can catch the action on TNT where it will be nationally broadcasted.