Brook Lopez was only three steals away from a 5×5 in this game. However, we shouldn’t take it for granted that he got the requisite five rebounds necessary for a 5×5, considering he’s averaging just 5.4 RBG this season (by far a career-low save for the five games he played in 2011-12). Who’s stealing Brook Lopez’ rebounds? Or, perhaps the question is, why doesn’t Brook Lopez ever want to rebound?
We already know that Lopez can only rebound if a.) the ball is coming right towards him and b.) there’s nobody else around him to get it. But even with those requirements considered, Lopez should be averaging at least 7 RPG as he has done in previous seasons. There’s two options: Trevor Booker is using his nefarious forces of hustle to steal rebounds, or Lopez fails to rebound balls that are absolutely 100% his to rebound because he’s trying to conserve energy for scoring more buckets on offense.
Or all the time Lopez spends camped out at the three-point line has pulled him away from the offensive glass. The numbers bear this theory out but I don’t like it so I’m not going to believe it. I like the “Lopez is lazy” theory better.