Nickel: He may not always get the attention he deserves, but there's no deflecting Brook Lopez's value to the Bucks

It’s kind of weird that Brook Lopez isn’t an all-star, isn’t it? Averaging 14.4 points – his best since he was with Brooklyn in 2016-17 – making nearly 2 three-pointers a game on average, and adding 6.6 rebounds. That's on top of 135 total blocked shots, the second-highest in the NBA.

But here’s the weirdest: The things fans and media people have thrown out there this season. Calling Brook Lopez “slow.” Or  “un-athletic.”

Ok … so in a league of the best athletes on the planet, no one is going to make a poster of a Brook Lopez blocked shot. (Probably.) The big man plays a good deal of his game on the first-level, maybe with his similarly unflashy 30-something teammates, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton. No elevator needed.

But the barb is total garbage. Lopez is moving his 7-1, 282-pound frame up and down the court, shooting threes and protecting the rim – how can that be described as anything but elite?

… Right?

Go to the source:

Brook, is the block the most athletic play you make?

He busts out with a laugh.

“It’s probably the most athletic play I have to make,” Lopez said. “And … also switching on to a guard or something like that. Moving laterally.

“But blocks are definitely up there.”

Brook Lopez is 30th on the NBA's list of all-time blocked shots

The 34-year-old Lopez, who has made a complete comeback from his back injury and surgery last season, is 30^th on the all-time NBA blocked shots list. He might finish in the top 25 or 20.

“It’s definitely just athleticism – being ready to play,” Lopez said.

“You’re athletic!?” said a teammate to his right in the locker room, but it's not obvious which one said it, and no one asks, because Lopez’s booming baritone voice dominates the room.

“Yeah right!” Lopez howled.

He can joke about it but the truth is, even Giannis Antetokounmpo is mostly OK with not facing Lopez in practice.

When the Bucks practice five-on-five, which isn’t a whole lot at this point of the season, it’s usually the starters vs. the second team. Thankfully, Milwaukee's young bigs are a great challenge for Lopez.

“When we do practice five-on-five, first team-second team, it’s good because it’s usually a lot of young guys,” Lopez said. “Fresh legs, they’re attacking the rim. So you can work on that – obviously safely. You don’t want to go down chasing blocks.”

What happens when Brook Lopez defends against Giannis in practice?

The young guys – Jordan Nwora before he was traded last week, Sandro Mamukelashvili and sometimes MarJon Beauchamp – are the best at testing Lopez. It's rare when Lopez and Antetokounmpo practice in a one-on-one situation. Too much potential for injury. But it has happened and it has been helpful for Lopez's defense.

“It is fun because he’s always playing hard, he’s always going to go hard,” Lopez said. “It’s a great challenge. It’s not something I see very often.

“It’s great for me because I get to guard him, not just block shots. Because, I want to be the best defender possible – in a lot of different ways. It’s definitely good for me to get reps against him because he can do so many different things. Make so many different plays. Shoot his little middy.”

Antetokounmpo has always been one of Lopez's biggest fans – "he's carrying us," Antetokounmpo said of Lopez on Jan. 6 – but even Giannis was a little surprised at himself recently. It's not like him to take anyone or anything good for granted, especially after not having Lopez for three-fourths of last season.

“I love being on the same team with him. I’ve learned how to play with him, how to play off him," Antetokounmpo said. “He knows how to play off me. We complement each other’s game. We help one another defensively. I would never take him for granted.

“Never.”

And here's why: Antetokounmpo was playing without Lopez in practice earlier this year when someone drove the ball on him.

“I literally turned around, I was like: Brook!” said Antetokounmpo. “And Brook wasn’t there; I think Sandro was on our team. And Sandro did not block the shot and I was like … ahhhh.

“I was a little bit upset, I was like mannnn. I take Brook for granted. I expect him to be there all the time to block a shot. And I promise that will never happen again.”

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The Bucks use force plates to test Lopez and his strength while jumping. He works on everything, from two-legged jumps, coming into the landing and then jumping again; second-leg jumps, single-leg jumps.

The Bucks also work on slide drills with resistance to perfect his lateral movement and his sliding backward, like he’s guarding in the pick and roll. It's all been effective. Lopez said the data reports have shown improvements all season. He's playing strong, whether he's shot blocking or getting to the spot in time to set a screen.

'Brook Mountain' is blocking everything for the Milwaukee Bucks' top defense

The work behind the scenes may be leading to blocks on the court, if not the attention they deserve. Lopez got six blocks in a win against Cleveland in November, but he wasn’t called up to the postgame interviews. Doesn't matter; the Bucks know.

“When Brook is making threes and blocking shots, the team loves him,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said a few months ago.

Last week when the Bucks won on their West Coast trip and extended their winning streak to 10 games, Lopez became the oldest player in the NBA with 100 blocks (135 total) and 100 three-pointers (101) in the same season.

It was an achievement he wasn't aware of. But it's clear, playing in 55 out of a possible 56 games a week away from the all-star break, that Lopez's game hasn't suffered with age or injury comeback.

“The blocks, they fuel you a little bit,” said Lopez. “And I’ve said it all year, I’m feeling healthier than I have in a long time. So that helps too.”

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: With 135 blocks, Brook Lopez is valuable to Milwaukee Bucks defense