"They draw so much attention" - Brook Lopez talks about the impact Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard bring

Brook got scoring opportunities because of Giannis and Dame.
© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Stopping a pick-and-roll involving Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard is a herculean task for the opposing teams. Giannis and Dame can score a lot of points through the pick-and-roll plays, which also opens scoring opportunities for their teammates.

That’s exactly what happened when the Milwaukee Bucks topped the Philadelphia Sixers, 114-105, on Thursday night.

Giannis, Dame shared the wealth

In the win, Giannis scored 32 points, and Dame had 17. The two combined for 16 of Milwaukee’s 29 assists as they got their teammates involved in the come-from-behind win.

Brook Lopez was the beneficiary when the Sixers threw multiple defenders to stop Giannis and Dame.

“They draw so much attention, rightfully so," said Lopez, who went 5-of-10 from the three-point area and finished with 19 points.

With Giannis and Dame attracting multiple defenders, Lopez said he and his teammates have to be ready for those kick-out passes to make the defense pay.

“The gravity of that pick and roll. It pulls everyone in. You’ve just got to be ready on the weak side,” Lopez said.

Made the right plays down the stretch

The Bucks played sloppy in the first three quarters, trailing by as many as 12 points before getting their acts together in the fourth to escape with the win.

Damian said making the right plays when the defense collapses on Giannis and on him was the key to Milwaukee’s fourth-quarter surge. The Bucks outscored the Sixers in the fourth, 34-22

“And I think to start that fourth quarter, there's going to be a lot of attention on the ball with me, there's going to be a lot of attention when Giannis gets the ball, and Doc (Rivers) is just always on me about getting downhill, getting into the paint 'cause the defense is going to converge and just making the right plays,” said Lillard.

Doc Rivers admits that the Milwaukee Bucks struggle against teams that play with pace and space


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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.