3-point phenom Bucks’ Lopez also bringing game inside

Welcome to the 2020-21 edition of the Bucks Weekly Spotlight. Each Thursday, we’ll track the progress of the players who are trying to help Milwaukee make a championship run and give updates on other players from the previous week.

This is the 4th edition of the 2020-21 Bucks Weekly Spotlight.

SPOTLIGHT ON …

Center Brook Lopez

Lopez quickly made himself a fan favorite when he joined the Bucks in 2018, earning his nickname “Splash Mountain” as he set career highs in 3-point makes (2.3/game) and blocks (2.2/game).

Last season, Lopez was still swatting away shots — upping it to 2.4 per game — but his 3-point percentage fell from 36.5% to 31.4%. His overall field-goal percentage also dipped to 43.5% from 45.2%.

This season thus far, Lopez has got his 3-point percentage back up to 36.1% and his overall field-goal percentage to 45.5%. When he’s not shooting from downtown, Lopez is staying near the rim. He’s taken 55 shots from under 10 feet to go with his 83 3-point attempts. From 10 feet to the arc, Lopez has attempted only seven shots.

In 2019-20, Lopez’s shot breakdown was: 324 from under 10 feet, 83 from 10 feet to the 3-point line, including 70 from 10 feet to under 16 feet (he’s taken just two such shots this season) and 378 from downtown.

The result has been better production, especially lately.

In Milwaukee’s three games this past week, Lopez shot 62.1% from the field (including 4-for-9 from 3) and averaged 15.0 points, pushing his season scoring average to 10.6 ppg.

On Wednesday, Lopez poured in a season-high 20 points, his fifth straight game in double figures. Prior to that streak, he’d had only thee games with 10+ points – 12, 14 and 17 – in the first 12 games.

Oh, he’s also had at least one blocked shot in every game but two this season.

“Splash Mountain” is open for business.

BUCKSHOTS

— This week in Giannis: Antetokounmpo averaged 25.3 points on 63.6% shooting, 14.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists.

— After going three straight games without a 3-pointer, D.J. Augustin hit 3 of 4 vs. Atlanta on Jan. 24 and 3 of 6 against Toronto on Wednesday. He’s shooting 39.6% from 3 on the season.

— Bryn Forbes has been up-and-down in his first 17 games with the Bucks, but he had back-to-back 11-point games against the Hawks and Raptors. He has yet to have three consecutive games scoring in double figures.

— Torrey Craig played for the first time since breaking his nose back on Dec. 27. He was on the court for a little over 13 minutes against both Atlanta and Toronto, contributing a combined six points, six rebounds and four assists.