Brook Lopez: Strength a Serious Concern?

[Cammo101]

geez, if Brook Lopez is an average defender, there isn't another average defender in the whole stinking draft. The idea that Robin is the better defensive twin is one of the more confounding myths out there. Brook is probably further ahead of Robin as a defender than he is as a scorer. But Stanford needs Brook's scoring and Robin is still a very good defensive presence, so their respective reputations emerged.

efficiency and usage have an inverse relationship. adjust lopez's numbers for his absurdly high usage rate (stanford relies on him more than Texas relied on durant last year), and his scoring efficiency looks just fine.

It really is like comparing Duncan and Varejao on defense. Lopez's sick consistancy is playing against him here because he is not considered a sexy enough pick in the top 5 by some.

[bill curley II]

The only legit criticism I've read so far of Brook is his weak base. He does get pushed off post position and doesnt have that great explosiveness, but he's one of the most skilled 7 footers in college, does a good job of playing angles, and his fg% and rbding numbers are nothing to worry about.

His rebounding is obviously going to be reduced b/c of his teammates. There's Robin, but also Taj Finger and Lawrence Hill, who are also good rebounders. Lastly, Stanford was 5th in the country in rebounding difference, so I think it's fairly safe to say that the best rebounder on the team does a pretty good job.

His fg% is a product of the team's style. Their whole team collectively doesn't shoot all that well, allowing teams to sag inside against the Lopez twins. Kevin Love has Shipp, Collison, and Westbrook on the perimeter, Hansbrough has Green, Lawson, Ellington. Brook has Mitch Johnson (42%), Anthony Goods (36%), and Lawrence Hill (41%).

[UGA Hayes]

The only legit criticism I've read so far of Brook is his weak base. He does get pushed off post position and doesnt have that great explosiveness, but he's one of the most skilled 7 footers in college, does a good job of playing angles, and his fg% and rbding numbers are nothing to worry about.

His rebounding is obviously going to be reduced b/c of his teammates. There's Robin, but also Taj Finger and Lawrence Hill, who are also good rebounders. Lastly, Stanford was 5th in the country in rebounding difference, so I think it's fairly safe to say that the best rebounder on the team does a pretty good job.

His fg% is a product of the team's style. Their whole team collectively doesn't shoot all that well, allowing teams to sag inside against the Lopez twins. Kevin Love has Shipp, Collison, and Westbrook on the perimeter, Hansbrough has Green, Lawson, Ellington. Brook has Mitch Johnson (42%), Anthony Goods (36%), and Lawrence Hill (41%).

I've said it before but I really disagree about Lopez getting pushed off the post. I thought he was one of the better guys I've seen at backing a guy down right before recieving an entry pass in a long long time. Its doubly impressive b/c college officals don't really allow bigs to post up without calling a ticky tack foul.

Also I agree with Watters about the defense thing. The myth that Robin is the better defender or more athletic seems to have really taken off without much foundation.

[horaceworthy]

Also I agree with Watters about the defense thing. The myth that Robin is the better defender or more athletic seems to have really taken off without much foundation.

That's what happens when one's fundamentally sound, in control and keeps his hair tightly cropped, while the other has the Sideshow Bob thing going, plays a more frenetic style, and does the flashier things on the defensive end, such as blocking shots.

[bill curley II]

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I've said it before but I really disagree about Lopez getting pushed off the post. I thought he was one of the better guys I've seen at backing a guy down right before recieving an entry pass in a long long time. Its doubly impressive b/c college officals don't really allow bigs to post up without calling a ticky tack foul.

Also I agree with Watters about the defense thing. The myth that Robin is the better defender or more athletic seems to have really taken off without much foundation.

I wouldn't say he backs guys down well. He certainly plays angles well, using his height to seal off guys and catch lobs, but I rarely saw him be able to outmuscle people by backing them down, and in the NBA, its obviously going to be harder for him to do that. But things like strength, perimeter shooting, are all things he can easily improve on in the NBA.