After dealing with back issues which kept him out of the first three games of the preseason, Brook Lopez was finally able to make his Los Angeles Lakers debut in their preseason game against the Sacramento Kings.
The veteran center played just 15 minutes but was effective in his limited time on the court. He scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and went 2-of-2 on his 3-point attempts.
According to ClutchPoints’ Ryan Ward, Lopez says his minutes will continue to increase during the Lakers’ last two preseason games as he prepares for opening night.
Brook Lopez: “We’ll just keep building it up to opening night” in terms of increasing his minutes #Lakers
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) October 9, 2017
Lopez, 29, is set to play his first season in Los Angeles after being traded from the Brooklyn Nets in the deal involving D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov. He averaged 20.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per game in his final season for the Nets. He also developed into a capable three-point shooter, as he hit 1.8 threes at a 34 percent clip.
Lopez is expected to be the starting center for the Lakers this season, but the team has other options at the position as he continues to work himself back into shape. Ivica Zubac, Larry Nance Jr., and rookie Thomas Bryant can all man the center spot, as can Andrew Bogut if he makes the cut.
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