Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone had doubts about his team's preparation coming into Sunday night's showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post, as Brook Lopez rained down 3-pointer after 3-pointer to post a game-high 28 points, going a surprising 8-of-13 from deep.
While Lopez isn't an elite sharpshooter by any means — and his average of a measly 34 percent from deep the last two years proves so — he's capable of catching fire, as he did Sunday when he gave Mike Malone and the Nuggets hell.
What's baffling is how the Nuggets allowed him to tee up 13 attempts from long-range, despite Lopez shooting a set shot with a relatively slow release — showing a clear lack of spacial awareness.
As Lopez's career has evolved, he has become less and less of the traditional 7-footer and more of a spot-up stretch shooter, now connecting on 3.0 3-pointers per game at a 41.9 percent rate in Mike Budenholzer's offense, all while averaging a mere 3.2 rebounds per game — baffling stats for someone at the center position.
The duo of Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic have had their share of headaches with Lopez's shooting before, but never in such a way — making this a first and likely the last time they allow such a performance from the 30-year-old center after Mike Malone puts them to work in practice.
The Bucks had four of their starters with 20 or more points — a recipe for trouble, as it proved to be with the Nuggets losing three straight games after a 9-1 start to the season.
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