With Giannis Antetokounmpo out, Brook Lopez steps up big time to help the Milwaukee Bucks get even with the Miami Heat

The Splash Mountain was dominant in Game 2.
© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
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Giannis Antetokounmpo was unavailable, and one of the players that the Milwaukee Bucks counted on to step up was Brook Lopez. The veteran center gamely answered the call.

Lopez once again showed up when the Bucks needed him the most as he led the Milwaukee Bucks to a series-tying 138-122 win over the Miami Heat in Game 2 of their best-of-seven series on Wednesday night.

Antetokounmpo was out due to a back injury that he sustained in Game 1, but Lopez was there to fill the void and provided the Bucks the needed muscle in the paint.

Going to Brook exclusively

In a game where they led by as many as 36 points, the Bucks went to Lopez more often, and the Splash Mountain did not disappoint by going 12-for-17 from the field to finish with a team-high 25 points.

Lopez was so focused on manning the paint for the Bucks that he only attempted one shot from the three-point area.

With Lopez imposing his will in the paint, the Bucks' perimeter players had a field day that led to the team tying an NBA record for three-pointers made in a game with 25.

Not taking credit

Lopez just scored 10 points in their 130-117 Game 1 loss. By the end of the first quarter of Game 2, he already had 14 points.

Lopez was quick to deflect credit, saying the crucial win was a product of a total team effort.

"Everyone's ready," Lopez said. "Everyone has the right mentality coming into the game - the mentality it takes to be a Milwaukee Buck. There's no one above anyone else. We're just out there trying to win."

The 15-year veteran has a penchant for stepping up when the Bucks are short-handed in a critical game.

In Milwaukee's title run in 2021, Antetokounmpo was out in Game 5 of their East finals duel with the Atlanta Hawks, but the Bucks still came out victorious behind the playoff career-high 34 points from Lopez.

On a night that the Bucks were facing the specter of falling to a 0-2 hole, Lopez once again stood the tallest—literally and figuratively.


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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.