If there ever has been a criticism of Brook Lopez, it has been that the Nets center was too nice, too passive, too mild-mannered. But Lopez has gone into Hulk mode since the All-Star break, and stepped into the leadership void left by Joe Johnson’s departure. And it turns out Angry Brook is pretty damn good.
Lopez dominated the Raptors with 35 points and a season-high seven blocks in loss on Tuesday. He has been growing increasingly aggressive and assertive lately, with the Nets headed into Friday’s game at Philadelphia.
“It’s going to sound pretty dumb. I just feel like I’ve been getting a bit beat up lately. I don’t know. Sometimes guys miss calls. That’s the way it is. But I guess I’ve been reacting a little bit more, I don’t know,’’ said Lopez, who has been more vocal with referees about perceived fouls, more decisive in his moves and more forceful in taking over games. He even playfully took down Toronto’s mascot.
Asked if that was because entire teams are collapsing in on him, he laughed and said, “They have been pretty handsy lately, I guess.”
They haven’t stopped him. Over his nine games since the All-Star break, Lopez is averaging 24.3 points on 56.7 percent shooting. His scoring is fourth in the East and third among all centers.
“He’s just being aggressive,” interim coach Tony Brown said. “The ball’s finding him a lot more, probably a lot more touches than previously. But he knows that we’re going to come to him when we need a basket. … He’s just being more aggressive, he knows he’s going to get touches and he’s making the most of those situations.”
Lopez said he isn’t certain what has fueled his surge.
“I don’t know if it’s one thing specifically,” he said. “I’d [say] be more of a leader, be more of a facilitator, distributor, somebody who makes plays and helps make my teammates and my team better. … I try and improve each and every game.
“For me it’s just been about opportunity: That’s a lot of what the league is. Just for me being in more situations to make plays, [more] than just ending them.’’
He has done both lately. He has averaged 3.2 assists since the break, and goes into Friday’s game with 118 assists already after mustering just 120 in the prior two seasons combined.
“It’s just recognizing it better. He’s not Yinka Dare or anything. He’ll pass,’’ Brown said. “It’s improving. A lot of teams are starting to come down on him when he starts to put the ball on the floor as a way to get to him. He’s understanding that, and he’s seeing the guy as he’s coming, so he’s making the right reads and getting the ball out. Anytime we can get the ball out cleanly to our weak-side guys, we’ve got some guys that can make 3s. He understands that better now.’’
Lopez also said he understands that with Johnson gone, he has to not just fill a role as the Nets’ best player, but as their leader as well.
“Everyone has to pick up everything we’re missing obviously since he left,” he said. “But, yeah, there’s a void and I’ve tried to step into it.”
It hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Even recent 10-day signee Sean Kilpatrick, praised for how hungrily he plays, was impressed, not just by the big center’s scoring and size, but his work ethic.
“He’s a hard worker,’’ said Kilpatrick. “A lot of guys in the NBA you can say that they’re just Godly gifted like that, but he comes in here and actually works, and that’s something that really blew the doors off for me. He’s someone that actually works and makes sure he gets his time in the gym and he’s really a hard worker.’’
