Brook Lopez is having a renaissance year with the Milwaukee Bucks.
After playing in only 13 games last season due to back surgery, Lopez is averaging 14.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 44 games played this season. Defensively, he is averaging a career-high 2.5 blocks a game and is one of the catalysts for Milwaukee being ranked third in defensive efficiency this season, per Team Rankings.
That cannot be overstated how important Brook Lopez is to the Bucks when he’s on the floor, especially on defense. Last season, Milwaukee’s defense had a slight drop-off because Lopez missed most of the season, and his presence was sorely missed as he wasn’t there to cover up some of the holes, especially inside the paint.
As I look around the league, outside of the main guys like Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Domantas Sabonis there has been a huge drop off statistically for centers this season. Lopez has been consistent throughout the season, and with the All-Star team captains selecting at least one new center a year why not Lopez?
Analyzing Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez’s All-Star case
As it currently stands, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James are the leading vote-getters, and Antetokounmpo has picked at least one player from the Bucks to join him on the All-Star team in the past. Antetokoumpo talked a few weeks ago about Lopez’s candidacy for Defensive Player of the year.
Brook Lopez last made the All-Star game in 2013 for the Brooklyn Nets as an injury replacement for Rajon Rondo, who went out earlier that season with an ACL injury. Lopez could have been a back-to-back All-Star in the 2013-14 season. He averaged 20.7 points, six rebounds, and 1.2 blocks but only played in 17 games as he suffered a foot injury on December 20 and missed the remainder of the season.
The last Bucks center to make it to an All-Star team was current Bucks assistant coach Vin Baker in the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons. Before Lopez, the center hadn’t been a position of strength for Milwaukee, and this is the first year where Lopez has deserved an All-Star game appearance. Lopez has been an underrated player for many years in the NBA, he’s been overshadowed by guys like Embiid, Jokic, Ayton, and Sabonis. Lopez is the Mike Conley of centers where he puts up consistent numbers every year, but his seasons always get overshadowed by more talented players.
Currently, Lopez isn’t listed among the NBA’s leading vote-getters, and once again, his consistency is going unnoticed. What is behind this? The fan voting for the NBA All-Star has already passed and Lopez wasn’t on the list, but players like Brooklyn Nets center Nick Claxton and Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen filled out the ninth and tenth slots respectively. So what kind of seasons are those guys having compared to Lopez?
Let’s start with Nic Claxton who is having a career year with averages of 12.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 42 games played this season. Claxton has emerged as a key player for the Nets this season and is becoming a more well-rounded player in Jacque Vaughn’s system.
Now let’s go to Allen who was selected as an All-Star last season. Allen this season is averaging 13.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 41 games played this season. Allen has helped the Cavaliers be top-five in team defense this year, and he and Lopez are similar in terms of their availability being paramount to the team’s success.
The NBA All-Star Game at the crux of it is a popularity contest; players who are putting up career numbers get snubbed all the time because there are only so many roster spots to fill. Brook Lopez deserves to make his second All-Star appearance in his career because he’s putting up solid numbers and Milwaukee has been a top-five defense with him on the floor and a lesser defense without him.
If Brook Lopez isn’t selected on the All-Star reserves team, hopefully, he can be selected as an injury replacement because a couple of All-Star caliber players pull out of the game every year.
PLEASE, BUCKS FANS, IT’S UP TO US TO SEND BROOK LOPEZ TO UTAH.