Brook Lopez furthers his Defensive Player of the Year case in Bucks’ win
By Dalton Sell
Brook Lopez has always been a remarkable defender during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks, but he has undoubtedly turned it up a notch this season.
The center has been excellent in that regard, and his efforts have earned him some recognition as a top Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Lopez has gone back and forth all year with the likes of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Nic Claxton on D.P.O.Y. ladders, but he certainly boosted his case in a recent win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Brook Lopez furthers his Defensive Player of the Year case in Bucks’ win
Playing against his former team, Lopez was on a tear defensively. Per NBA.com, Nets players shot 8-of-30 (26.7 percent) when being defended by Lopez. That is just outright incredible, but it was how Lopez got those numbers that was truly mesmerizing.
The big man recorded a career-high nine blocked shots as he was a monstrous force in the post all night long. Lopez was particularly clutch late, having tallied three of those blocks in the final period alone. The biggest one of the night came with 22.8 seconds to play. Brooklyn’s David Duke Jr. went to the hoop with his team trailing by four and had his shot swatted by Lopez, which led to a layup for Jevon Carter on the other end to stamp a Milwaukee win.
Lopez was outstanding on the defensive end, but that should not overshadow what he did in other facets of the game, having tallied 24 points and 10 rebounds. With Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting out, Lopez stepped up mightily on both ends and helped the Bucks get a win over his former team. Some believed the center could have been an All-Star this season due to his two-way excellence, and last night certainly backed that up.
After the win, Lopez’s blocks per game average moved up to 2.5 on the season, which is currently a career-best. He still trails Jackson and Claxton on the season, but there is plenty of basketball to be played down the stretch. Lopez can certainly make up that ground in that span, especially if he can build some momentum off of this recent performance.
dark. Next. Who should the Milwaukee Bucks sign with their final roster spot?
Stay tuned in what should be a down-to-the-wire 2023 Defensive Player of the Year race.