It’s only preseason, but Brook Lopez looks healthy again. Before the injuries, Lopez was one of the most dominant centers in the league and, in my opinion, he was easily the best scoring center in the NBA. For the Brooklyn Nets to contend, Lopez will have to stay healthy the entire season.
Everything seems to just come natural to the six-year man out of Stanford. His offensive game is a bit awkward, but it works for him — it works very well for him actually. There isn’t another center in the game today who can compare to his offensive skills. He’s too big and strong to handle down low, and he makes the most difficult shots. You can’t hack him to put him on the free throw line like you can Dwight Howard, because Lopez shoots around 80 percent from the line. He also possesses something most seven-footers don’t have — a 19-foot jump shot. Lopez shoots it awkwardly as he doesn’t jump when he shoots, but he takes and hits the shot frequently.
There aren’t really any weaknesses in his offensive game. Ever since Lopez came into the league in 2008, scoring has just come naturally to him. It doesn’t seem like he misses a beat once he comes back from injuries. It’s truly amazing how easy he makes putting the ball in the basket look.
Excluding his rookie year where he averaged 13 points per game, Lopez has averaged at least 18 PPG each season. Although two of those seasons were cut short for Lopez due to injuries, only playing in five and 17 games those respective seasons. This is the part that surprises everybody. How could a seven-footer not be a good rebounder? Lopez has only averaged more than eight rebounds per game in two seasons. A guy like Lopez should be averaging around 10 RPG. That’s pretty much the only thing, plus the injuries, that I think is holding Lopez back from being the best center in the league.
Before he went down with the broken foot last season, Lopez was shooting over 56 percent from the field. He has developed his game in many ways that most people didn’t expect. If Lopez learns to become a better rebounder and defender while staying healthy, he’ll be the best center in the game. Having Kevin Garnett on your team can really change you as a player, and I expect Lopez to benefit greatly playing alongside the future Hall of Famer.
If Lopez stays healthy and continues doing what he’s doing then don’t be surprised if the Nets make it deep into the playoffs. After this season, people will stop underrating Brook Lopez.
Joseph Martinez is a Brooklyn Nets/NBA writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @BKN_Martinez08, find him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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