Milwaukee Bucks: 4 false assumptions after the first 8 games
Father Time has finally caught up to Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez will turn 33 years old this season. Anywhere outside of professional sports, he would be considered a young man. However, Brook’s occupation happens to be basketball and he happens to be in his 13th season. While he’ll probably never match the individual productivity he enjoyed as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, he’s still an asset as a veteran presence and a solid starting center.
Through eight games, he is averaging 9.5 points per game. While some may not see that as a far cry from the 12.0 points per game he averaged last season, the Bucks are going to need more from him if they are going to match the regular season success of last year. Although he’s become a decent 3-point shooter for a big man, making one trip to the free throw line in eight games is a trend that cannot continue.
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Standing around on the perimeter waiting for Jrue Holiday or D.J. Augustin to pass the ball to him out of a double team is not the most effective strategy for a player with Lopez’s skill set. He should not abandon the footwork and soft touch that made him a scoring threat in the post years ago.
It’s clear that head coach Mike Budenholzer has given him the green light to shoot from the outside. However, the key is balance. If Lopez remembers that getting the other team’s front line in foul trouble can pay dividends, he’ll attack the basket with more regularity and get back to averaging double-digit points.