Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from Game 1 comeback victory vs. Raptors

1.  Brook Lopez is not the hero we deserve, but the hero we need

Someone forgot to tell Brook Lopez that he is not in Brooklyn anymore.

After spending the majority of his career as a back-to-the-basket finesse center, Brook Lopez underwent an offensive overhaul in his final years with the Brooklyn Nets, at the request of head coach Kenny Atkinson.

After attempting 31 3-pointers in the first eight years of his career, the seven-footer has attempted 387, 325 and 512 over the past three seasons.

After struggling for much of his 2019 playoff run, Brook Lopez came alive in a big way in Game 1.

Starting with some tough shots over Marc Gasol in the second quarter to close the gap, the momentum garnered from that stretch helped Lopez become a large factor on winning the offensive rebound battle (15-8) and helping shift the tide of the game.

Scoring a team-high 29 points, Brook Lopez, along with Malcolm Brogdon (15 points), helped offset the poor outing from the supporting cast of the Bucks. He chipped in 11 rebounds, four blocks and knocked down four of his 11 triples.

Now, it would be unrealistic to expect the low-volume big man who has averaged a hair over nine points per game throughout the playoffs to continue scoring at such a high level, but if Lopez can sustain the rebounding tenacity he showed and continue to be a strong shot-blocker, the stretch-5 will be a pivotal piece in defeating Toronto.