If Brook Lopez is even slightly open behind the arc and he has the ball, that shot is going up. Every time. Literally every time. Usually when I say “literally” I don’t mean it. This time I do. I defy you to find even one clip of him passing up a three this season. You will fail in your quest. Coach Bud has a specific plan for him: shoot it ya dumbo.
I feel like this is kind of a waste of Lopez’s talents. While he is a nice three-shooter, and I love how unabashedly he chucks them, I seem to remember a 20 ppg scorer in Brooklyn who had some sick post moves. I can count on one hand the amount of post-ups he’s gotten this year. I don’t want to criticize the coaching, since the Bucks are 8-2 and my limbs feel all tingly, but I wouldn’t mind a little variety for Lopez now and then. I want some pick-and-rolls too. The Bucks still don’t ever run them.
With all this time spent chilling around the arc, his offensive rebounding has taken a huge hit this year. Defensive rebounding also, so his total rebound numbers are comical for a seven-footer. Yes, I know all about how he “boxes out” so that Giannis can “grab all the rebounds he can handle”, but still, 4 rebounds per 36 is super low. Every rebound he does grab is because it comes directly to him. If it’s not headed right for his hands, someone else runs in and swipes it.
I think this is all a ploy so the Bucks can re-sign him for cheap next year. What team’s going to want to give a bigman with such paltry rebounding numbers a big contract?