2 min read • March 14, 2022
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Adrian Wojnarowski and Shama Charania each reported on Sunday that veteran defensive anchor Brook Lopez will return to the Bucks' lineup on Monday after missing the last 67 games with a back injury.
Lopez underwent surgery on Dec. 2 to repair the injury he suffered on opening night back on Oct. 19, 2021. The team did not release specifics of the nature of the injury, the details of the surgery, or the timeline of his recovery at the time.
The 33-year-old, who is the Brooklyn Nets’ all-time leading scorer, was a major piece of the Bucks’ recent resurgence and their 2021 NBA championship as he averaged 13 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while playing in all 23 postseason contests in 2021.
Bobby Portis has stepped in as his replacement in the starting lineup and is averaging 15.5 points and 9.2 rebounds on 41.2% from 3 in 59 games. Milwaukee recently traded for veteran forward Serge Ibaka to add depth in the front court behind Giannis Antetokuonmpo, Portis, and Lopez, who now represent an imposing defensive front line.
Lopez will rejoin the surging Bucks at an inflection point in the season, as the defending champs have allowed 117.1 points, 27 assists, and 47.9 rebounds per game since the all-star break, and have not allowed fewer than 110 points per game in a month since the calendar turned to 2022.
The 4-man unit of Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez posted a 10.4 net rating while holding opposing teams to a 95.4 defensive rating in 377 playoff minutes last postseason.
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