Toronto Raptors: 5 keys to 2019 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Bucks

2. Gasol must get the better of Lopez

Marc Gasol bit on just about every Joel Embiid pump fake in the semifinals. It especially hurt the Toronto Raptors when he fell for Embiid’s charade from beyond the arc. That’s not an advantage you want to give a career 31.5 percent 3-point shooter.

While Gasol’s next matchup doesn’t boast an array of post moves like Embiid, he’s morphed into a cold-blooded killer from deep.

Seven-footer Brook Lopez made 36.5 percent of his 3-point attempts in the regular season. In just a few short years, “Splash Mountain” has become of the NBA’s better shooting big men.

While he’s cooled off in the playoffs at 27.9 percent, Lopez isn’t a guy you want to leave open. Roughly 65 percent of his shots in 2018-19 came from 3-point range.

His effectiveness pulls opposing centers out of the paint. They can’t help but respect his range, which in turn opens up the lane for Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton.

Gasol is a widely respected low-post defender, but unlike Embiid, Lopez won’t make his money in the paint or the mid-range. Milwaukee will challenge Gasol to keep an adequate distance between Lopez and the ball.

Does he close out on every Lopez 3-point attempt? Or should he ignore his man to help cut off inside penetration? He can’t be in two places at once, which is one of the many reasons why the Bucks are so frustrating to defend.