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The man who has been the glue to Milwaukee’s offense in recent years has now had his name called on in our Ranking the Roster series, as he fills the No. 4 vacancy.
Glue is quite literally the way to think of Lopez’s contributions for this team. His drop defense is masterful and has made Milwaukee so tough on that end of the basketball. Yes, Giannis is a key cog in the Bucks’ defensive gameplan, but everything ends up going through Brook. He was absolutely stellar last season, as he made a run at the Defensive Player of the Year, finishing only behind Jaren Jackson Jr.
Those are some of the reasons why re-signing him this past offseason was such a priority. Had the Bucks not been able to retain him, it’d have been the biggest question mark going into the new year. Thankfully for their sake, he decided to come back to Milwaukee on a 2-year, $48 million deal, solidifying Jon Horst’s desire to run it back with the core of Antetokounmpo, Lopez, Middleton, and Holiday.
It’s not just the defensive side of the ball that Lopez makes sound contributions on. Last season, he tallied 15.9 points per game — the most he’s ever recorded in a year with the Bucks. He continues to pose a threat from beyond the arc, as he converted on 37.4 percent of his opportunities last year.
As we’re on the cusp of the new year, Lopez’s importance remains just as high as ever. As I mentioned, his drop defense will be relied on, even as Adrian Griffin takes over head coaching duties from Mike Budenholzer. Even in a new coaching era, Brook will be crucial to Milwaukee’s success.
Looking onward to the postseason, where do you think Lopez resides?
Poll
Gut check: How confident are you that Brook Lopez will be in the playoff rotation?
-
0%
1 - Not in the rotation at all.
(1 vote) -
0%
2 - Might play a few rotation minutes here and there.
(0 votes) -
0%
3 - Will get some minutes, depending on the series.
(0 votes) -
8%
4 - Will be part of the rotation, playing steady minutes.
(19 votes) -
91%
5 - Firmly in the rotation, playing heavy minutes!
(203 votes)
Now onto the final three rounds of voting!
Poll
The 3rd Most Important Player to Milwaukee’s postseason success is...
This poll is closed
-
5%
Giannis Antetokounmpo
(12 votes) -
45%
Khris Middleton
(103 votes) -
48%
Jrue Holiday
(110 votes)
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