Bucks Zone

Brook Lopez rises to #1 in the NBA's 'Defensive Player Ladder'

The Milwaukee Bucks center has been dominant this season.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks have been a defensive juggernaut for years, and this season has been no different. A big reason for that has been the play of their center Brook Lopez, who is having a complete resurgence after missing most of last season. 

The 34-year-old has been so good that he is the frontrunner for winning the newly named Hakeem Olajuwon Defensive Player of the Year award.

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Splash Mountain

The 7'0'' center was viewed as an efficient post scorer and stretch five earlier in his career. But after joining the Bucks, Brook became a two-way player and a dominant presence on the defensive side of the floor. 

Playing along with great defensive players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday has helped Lopez take his game to the next level, and the direct result of that has been the Bucks being on top of every defensive stat for years now.

For his size, Lopez can move very well and occasionally switch onto guards making the Bucks' defense very flexible and switchable. Brook is also an imposing physical presence down low—he weighs 280 lbs and is a true bruiser with great timing for blocks.

The numbers

The eye test speaks a lot about Lopez and his defensive abilities, but a quick look at the stats confirms that the Bucks center has been outstanding. Aside from being a valuable offensive piece, averaging 14.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg while shooting 40,4% from deep, Lopez has a huge impact on his team on the other side of the floor.

The Bucks rank No. 1 in defensive rating (106.8 points allowed per 100 possessions) and in opponents' effective field goal percentage (50,7%), which has been a product of Lopez protecting the paint and allowing the perimeter players to focus on guarding the three-point line. Brook is leading the league in blocks with 2.9 blocks per game.

"It does come back around. For me, it’s all about positioning," Lopez said about his mindset when contesting shots. "Just making sure you’re in the right spot at the right time. Obviously, I want to be there to protect my guy. If I get a blocked shot, that’s one way to do it. But there are a lot of ways of making sure it doesn’t even get to that point. Whether it’s guys getting back-screened and I’m helping by being there for a second in the paint. Or back doors, things of that nature, just taking away those easy looks," Lopez explained.

The Bucks have only played 27 games this season, but if Brook keeps this up, no one will be able to dethrone him from the #1 spot on the 'Defensive Player Ladder' for the 2022/23 NBA season.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.