Is there anything more beautiful than seeing the greatest athletes evolve their game to continue to excel in their discipline, or simply to survive it?
Milwaukee also has quite a specimen in this area with Brook Lopez, a chameleon pivot who has managed to develop his game drastically over the years. Rather confined to finishing near the circle, with low post work when he was at the Nets, post 5 has adapted to current basketball, more oriented towards outside shooting.
By dint of work, he has thus become a very correct shooter for a pivot, finishing six of his last seven seasons beyond the 33.3% success rate behind the arc. The past regular season is even the best of his career on this point, at 37.4% behind the line at 7m25.
Evolve to thrive in the NBA
At the same time, Robin’s twin has also developed his sense of defense, showcasing his size and athleticism to become a specialist in deterrence. Recognized qualities, even if he failed in his quest for the title of best defender of the year, with only 82 points less than Jaren Jackson Jr.
His second place finish remains a great achievement for a 34-year-old, who was clearly not referenced as an elite defender at the start of his career, but has also progressed through hard work.
This season, at the heart of the Bucks’ “drop coverage” of which he is the central piece, he notably compiled 12 games at 5 blocks and more, 6 games at 6 blocks and more and sealed a new personal best with 9 “blocks”. facing Brooklyn. He also finished the regular season leading in shots contested (1,293).
“It’s crazy to see that we asked him to do even more this year and that, not only did he respond, but he did it at an exceptional level”said his coach, Mike Budenholzer. “He has the confidence of his teammates and staff members. The defense is clearly built around him and what he does. I think for a lot of the season and when the games were really important, you could say we had the best defense in the league because of his impact, which was huge. He has this ability to change shot trajectories, to counter… He has this athletic dimension which is underestimated, his communication… He embodies everything you expect from a guy who is the pillar of your defense”.
A player who has become ultra-complete
Opposite, Erik Spoelstra praised his sense of adaptation and the ability of Brook Lopez to have followed the evolution of the league, which made him a complete player and a big headache for his opponents.
“I really believe that no one imagined that he could become an influential defender”, pointed out the coach from the Heat earlier in the season. “He’s got the size, he’s smart… I don’t know if it’s because he found the right system, with the team, the coaches and the players to support him in what he does, but he is extremely disturbing in defense. He just knows how to use his size and doesn’t get tricked often.”
At the Bucks, he has therefore become an essential cog in Mike Budenholzer’s device, the perfect complement to cover the backs of the “Big Three” Holiday-Middleton-Antetokounmpo. His loss to Jaren Jackson Jr. in the race for the best defender of the year is far from representing an end in itself. Especially since the playoffs and his confrontation with Bam Adebayo will allow him to quickly move on.
“I’m just focused on continuing and improving on that, so I can get even better in the postseason.”he said in particular.
| Brook Lopez | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2008-09 | NJN | 82 | 31 | 53.1 | 0.0 | 79.3 | 2.7 | 5.4 | 8.1 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 13.0 |
| 2009-10 | NJN | 82 | 37 | 49.9 | 0.0 | 81.7 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 8.7 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 18.8 |
| 2010-11 | NJN | 82 | 35 | 49.2 | 0.0 | 78.7 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 20.4 |
| 2011-12 | NJN | 5 | 27 | 49.4 | 0.0 | 62.5 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 19.2 |
| 2012-13 | BRK | 74 | 31 | 52.1 | 0.0 | 75.8 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 6.9 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 19.4 |
| 2013-14 | BRK | 17 | 31 | 56.3 | 0.0 | 81.7 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 6.0 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 20.7 |
| 2014-15 | BRK | 72 | 29 | 51.3 | 10.0 | 81.4 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 7.4 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 17.2 |
| 2015-16 | BRK | 73 | 34 | 51.1 | 14.3 | 78.7 | 2.8 | 5.1 | 7.9 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 20.6 |
| 2016-17 | BRK | 75 | 30 | 47.4 | 34.6 | 81.0 | 1.6 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 20.5 |
| 2017-18 | ALL | 74 | 23 | 46.5 | 34.5 | 70.3 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 13.0 |
| 2018-19 | MIL | 81 | 29 | 45.2 | 36.5 | 84.2 | 0.4 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 12.5 |
| 2019-20 | MIL | 68 | 27 | 43.5 | 31.4 | 83.6 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 12.0 |
| 2020-21 | MIL | 70 | 27 | 50.3 | 33.8 | 84.5 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 12.3 |
| 2021-22 | MIL | 13 | 23 | 46.6 | 35.8 | 87.0 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 12.4 |
| 2022-23 | MIL | 78 | 30 | 53.1 | 37.4 | 78.4 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 6.7 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 15.9 |
| Total | 946 | 30 | 49.7 | 34.6 | 79.5 | 2.0 | 4.2 | 6.3 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 16.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
