'Splash Mountain' Brook Lopez is Milwaukee's latest attraction
In the visiting locker room at Pepsi Center on Sunday, Brook Lopez's teammates cracked big smiles every time the exploits of the 7-foot Milwaukee Bucks center came up.
He'd just finished a career night, connecting on 8 of 13 three-pointers, including 6 of 7 in the third quarter to help the Bucks to an impressive 121-114 win over the Denver Nuggets.
John Henson and Eric Bledsoe both half-jokingly put Lopez in the same category as Golden State Warriors "Splash Brothers" Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, two players who will go down among the best three-point shooters in NBA history.
As a proud member of the Bucks, Lopez can't actually be one of the Splash Brothers. Maybe he could be a cousin or distant relative, but it's unlikely Curry and Thompson would recognize that relationship or welcome him to any family get-togethers.
Instead, the Internet went to work on finding a nickname for Milwaukee's three-point bomber. In the aftermath of Sunday's game, one nickname came to the fore and was even referenced by Henson in an Instagram comment.
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That name was "Splash Mountain," which Lopez endorsed when asked about it Tuesday after the team's first practice back in Milwaukee coming off a four-game trip.
“I am pretty partial to that, honestly," Lopez said with a laugh. "Guys know that I’m a pretty big Disney geek, a Disney nerd. I wear it with pride on my sleeve. I’ll roll with that one. If it keeps going, why not? That’s fantastic.”
Lopez, who owns a home on Walt Disney World Resort property in Orlando that's adorned with all kinds of Disney memorabilia, took his three-point shooting to new heights over the weekend. Over the first 11 games, he knocked down 36.8% of his threes and averaged 2.3 makes per game on 6.2 attempts.
During Milwaukee's back-to-back against the Los Angeles Clippers and Nuggets, he went 14 of 25 (56%). While on his tear against the Nuggets, he was eventually picked up at half court and face-guarded after swishing shots from at or behind the hash mark.
Lopez now ranks tied for sixth in the NBA with 39 made threes and is 14th in attempts with 93. He's the only center in the league who ranks in the top 20 in makes or attempts, with Philadelphia's Joel Embiid ranking second behind him with 19 made and 39 attempts.
More than the number of shots he's put up, Lopez is happy with his percentage (41.9%). After taking only 31 threes in his first eight seasons, Lopez shot 34.6% on 712 attempts over the past two seasons while with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. His goal for this season was to get his percentage over 40.
His new teammates and coaches have seen him put in the work to achieve that goal. Most days after practice, Lopez stays out to compete against Tony Snell and Pat Connaughton in a shooting contest, with shots sometimes coming from the hash marks.
“One of the things that was kind of a consistent theme was how hard of a worker Brook is," said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, whose former assistant, Kenny Atkinson, was the first to push Lopez to the perimeter when the two were with the Brooklyn Nets in 2016-'17.
"You talk to his old coaches, you talk to old teammates, front-office people that have been around Brook and it’s you almost have to ask him to get off the court. The way he’s grown his game and become a really effective three-point shooter and a really effective player, that takes work. It takes time in the gym, it takes effort and I think we’re all reaping the benefit of that.”
Heading into Wednesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Fiserv Forum, Lopez's average of 3.0 made three-pointers per game ranks seventh.
Among the players ahead of him in three-pointers per game are former MVPs Curry and James Harden as well as Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker. Fourth is Bucks wing Khris Middleton, who makes 3.5 per contest and is 45 of 97 (46.4%) from long range. Milwaukee is the only team in the NBA with two players who average more than 3.0 made threes per game, understandable considering the Bucks lead the NBA in threes (15.6) and attempts (40.5) per game.
Middleton wouldn't be surprised if the 7-footer eventually caught him in the three-point shooting department.
“If he keeps shooting the way he is it’s going to be bad for everybody," Middleton said. "I guess we should put a little wager on it to see who can make more threes. I think right now he’s going to get me with how far he’s shooting it from.”
Coming home: Through 13 games, the Bucks own the hardest strength of schedule coming off their four-game trip against the four teams that entered Tuesday atop the Western Conference. It's been a difficult path, but the Bucks have handled it well to get out to a 10-3 record heading into their six-game home stand at Fiserv Forum beginning Wednesday.
“Certainly you’re aware that it feels like a lot of nights we’re playing some of the better teams and I think that’s exactly what we want," Budenholzer said. "I think the more you’re tested throughout the regular season, the more good teams you play the better off you are for the playoffs, the more prepared you are. I think it’s great we’ve played a tough schedule and hopefully we can get better from that tough test.”
Special visitors: In honor of Veterans Day, the Bucks welcomed a group of about a dozen active-duty and former military members to practice Tuesday. That group watched some of practice at the team's practice facility before joining the Bucks on the court for some interactive time.
“It’s great they were able to come and watch practice and we were able to celebrate them and the sacrifice they give for our country," Middleton said. "There’s no other sacrifice out there (like it).”
Off to Oshkosh: The Bucks assigned forward Christian Wood to the Wisconsin Herd ahead of the Herd's game Wednesday against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants at Menominee Arena.
Wood has played 15 minutes over three games this season but has been inactive since Oct. 29.