3 Takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ thrilling win over Nets

Brook Lopez’s value to the Milwaukee Bucks continues to be on display

Brook Lopez recorded his second consecutive game with at least five blocks on Wednesday. He one-upped his five-block performance from Saturday night and finished the game with six blocks.

Last season, it was no secret that the Bucks missed Brook Lopez on the defensive end. Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis had to fill the center role for most of the season before the acquisition of Serge Ibaka, and the team lacked depth in the position without Lopez.

This season’s early stages show why Lopez is so important to the Bucks. The Bucks have the best defensive rating in the NBA this season at 98.3, per NBA.com/stats. They’ve also given up the fewest points per game of any defense in the NBA, at 97.3 points per game.

So much of the defensive brilliance of the team can be attributed to Lopez’s return. Lopez leads the NBA in blocks per game, averaging 4.3 blocks. Even though the season is in its early stages, it’s not too early to start looking at Lopez as a candidate for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award this season.

The Bucks have made a tremendous leap this season with Lopez back in the lineup. The value of Lopez to Milwaukee’s team was genuinely shown when he wasn’t there last season. Lopez makes a massive difference for the Bucks and should not be taken for granted.