The Milwaukee Bucks had an excellent month of November. They went 11-5 and remain on of the Eastern Conference’s best teams. It has not all been easy. After a rocky start to the season, Bucks players approached new head coach Adrian Griffin and asked him to allow Brook Lopez to play drop defense. Coach Griffin acquiesced and Lopez’s defense has soared.
After his four blocks in the Bucks’ 132-121 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, Lopez has a NBA-high 55 blocks on the season. His 2.75 blocks per game average would be a career-high.
The switch to allowing Lopez to play drop defense has really made a difference. He only had one block in Milwaukee’s first three games, but has reasserted himself as the NBA’s best shot-blocker since the change.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Center Brook Lopez Had More Blocks Than 2 NBA Teams in November
In the month of November, the Bucks ranked fourth in the NBA in blocked shots with 91. The only teams with more were the Phoenix Suns (103), the Minnesota Timberwolves (100), and the Los Angeles Lakers (95). As mentioned, Lopez had 50 of Milwaukee’s 91 blocks.
What is incredible about that number, other than the fact that he accounts for so much of the team’s block total, is that he had the same number of blocks as the entire Miami Heat team and more blocks than the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks.
Blocks in November:
50 — Brook Lopez
50 — Heat
45 — Warriors
43 — Pistons https://t.co/txxx0Wu8z9— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 1, 2023
*Note: the X (Twitter) post says Pistons, but StatMuse’s website indicates that Detroit had 80 blocks in November.
Where Does Brook Lopez Rank in Blocked Shots in Milwaukee Bucks History?
With four blocks against the Hawks on Friday night, Lopez has 708 blocks during his tenure with the Bucks. This ranks fourth in franchise history behind Giannis Antetokounmpo (932), Alton Lister (804), and Harvey Catchings (709).
Obviously, it will not be long before he surpasses Catchings for third in franchise history. If he continues blocking shots at the rate that he is, he could pass Lister for second by the time the regular season comes to an end.
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