Brook Lopez is known to be a good low post scorer and efficient on shots near the basket. But on Wednesday night's game between his Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons, the 28-year-old center showed his extended range and a new weapon to his offensive arsenal.
Lopez shot 4-of-8 from beyond the three-point line, tying his career total in made threes. He finished with a game-high 34 points and added 11 rebounds for the Nets who won the game and improved their record to 2-3.
The Nets rank second in three-point attempts per game so far this season. It is a reflection of the offensive system new head coach Kenny Atkinson is trying to put in place. The team is encouraged to take open threes whenever the situation presents itself, and it includes their center as well.
After the game, Pistons head coach, Stan Van Gundy talked about the Nets' style of play and how it helped them get the win against his team. Per Greg Logan of News Day:
“They’re really hard to play against. They play at a high energy level and they really run the ball. They’ve got some guys who attack the basket, particularly Jeremy Lin and Sean Kilpatrick. And then, everybody on their team shoots threes. Forty percent of their shots are from three. So, it’s a really different game, and we’re going to have to get our energy up.”
Should Lopez continue to make threes at an efficient rate and make it a fixture on his game, he will be a tough matchup for opposing coaches at the center position. It will also help the Nets surprise a lot of people and win more games, and possibly, compete for a playoff spot this season.
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