As the 2014-15 NBA season opener inches closer, I’ll be breaking down each player on the Trail Blazers expected to contribute to the team’s success. Today, we feature Sideshow Bob…or as most of you know him, Robin Lopez. (Stats provided by NBA.com)
How Did He Do Last Year? When Portland General Manager Neil Olshey traded for Lopez before last season, the general reaction was “We gave up nothing for him, so it’s a win-win.” The Blazers gave up two second-round picks as a facilitator in the deal that sent Tyreke Evans to the New Orleans Pelicans, where Lopez played the year before.
The Pelicans were looking for some potential-laden players to play alongside Anthony Davis, and Lopez was the guy sacrificed despite him playing all 82 games that year, with decent stats for a big guy.
Evans proved to be an awkward fit when he was on the court, which wasn’t often because of his injury issues. Meanwhile, Davis had to play center way too much, which led to him getting banged up, sitting out, and his team not going anywhere.
Sound familiar? That’s what LaMarcus Aldridge had to go through before Olshey acquired RoLo,
Lopez had solid numbers (11 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 139 blocks) in 2013-14, but it was his presence on the court that made all the difference for Portland. The starting “center” the year before, J.J. Hickson, was a fan favorite for the effort and hustle he provided every night. However, all the effort and hustle in the world can’t help you protect the rim.
Trail Blazer fans had to hide the eyes of children and tender-hearted people whenever Aldridge sat down in 2012-13. Hickson and rookies Damian Lillard and Meyers Leonard routinely allowed NBA games to become lay-up lines for the opposition. It was the kind of disgusting defensive display that led Aldridge to demand help, and Olshey responded with Lopez.
Lopez is not a rim protector by any definition, but he was better than either Hickson or Aldridge merely because he’s a very large human being who’s willing to get in your way and put you on your rear end if you drove to the basket. Something that simple shouldn’t represent a change in defensive rating from “Holy Mother of God this is horrible!!!!” to just “meh,” but you’d be surprised how effective simple solutions can be, if one actually looks for them.
In the playoffs, he got served repeatedly by Dwight Howard, whose play was the main reason Houston actually made that a series. James Harden was getting smothered by Wesley Matthews, Chandler Parsons couldn’t make good on his pre-series boast that he was “The best small forward in the series,” and the role players (other than Troy Daniels) couldn’t make an impact or make up the difference.
Howard played like the superstar that he is, and the valiant Lopez stood no chance. Lopez did have his moments (I remember Houston coach Kevin McHale actually trying to hide Harden on defense against Lopez in Game 6. Lopez promptly turned his back, rammed his rear against Harden, and scored on consecutive lay-ups. Whoops.), but by and large, RoLo’s postseason was a disappointing end to a very good season.
What’s His Role For Next Year? Lopez will continue to be the garbage man for Portland, focusing on rebounding, defense against the pick-and-roll, and cleaning up after everyone else on offense. His twin brother Brook, the center for the Brooklyn Nets, is much better at scoring and working in the post, but I guess Robin came away with the rebounding gene–Brook averages around six rebounds a game for his career, an absolutely pathetic total for a seven-foot player who’s primarily close to the basket when he’s on the floor.
Robin Lopez isn’t glamorous or flashy, but he does what you need him to do. If his brother is a gourmet meal, Robin’s the PB & J, always there when you need it, and always filling. You may wish you had something else, like a gourmet meal, but you still appreciate good old PB & J when you can’t turn anywhere else.
What Are His Strengths? We can start with his rebounding–particularly, his offensive rebounding. 8.5 rebounds a game doesn’t sound impressive (especially when Aldridge averaged 11), but this stat admittedly shocked me a bit: RoLo averaged four offensive rebounds a game. AVERAGED!
Lopez is adept at occupying a defense’s attention whenever a shot caroms off the rim. He busts his rump trying to get position, and the effort required to keep him off the boards means the opposing big men don’t have time to help out when Aldridge goes after the ball, or when Nicolas Batum sneaks in from the weak side.
On the offensive boards, that same dynamic applies as well, except it actually shows up on the stat sheet. Lopez’s offensive rebounding was one of many cogs that made Portland’s excellent offense go last season; giving a team like the Blazers multiple chances to score is not conducive to winning if you’re an opponent, and Lopez was the main reason for those second chances.
Another aspect of Lopez’s game didn’t get enough attention last season: his free-throw shooting. Lopez shot a career-high 81.8% from the charity stripe last season. That’s a good number for any player, never mind a clumsy-looking seven-foot center.
During the Portland-Houston series, ESPN’s Hubie Brown brought attention to the Blazers’ excellent free-throw shooting by saying Portland was the only team in the NBA whose five starters shot at least 80% from the foul line in the regular season. As Brown aptly put it, “If you’re in a close game, you can’t really hack anyone on Portland like they did with Howard. Who’re you gonna foul? And this series has had a lot of close games.”
It wasn’t a big reason why Portland beat Houston, but the “Hack-a-(insert player)” tactic the Blazers used on Dwight Howard and Omer Asik will never be an option for their opponents. It’s a slightly obscure advantage, but every little edge is humongous when you’re trying to be a contending team in the NBA.
What Does He Need To Improve On? Like with Wesley Matthews, this question is difficult to answer. Robin isn’t as talented as his brother Brook, and he’s going to turn 27 during the upcoming season–the age when NBA players usually reach their peak.
Lopez shot 55% from the field to go along with his excellent foul shooting, so his accuracy with put-backs, dunks, and the occasional set shot from 12-15 feet isn’t an issue. His rebounding stats are deflated somewhat by Aldridge, Batum, and other Blazers taking advantage of his bruising work down on the boards. He’s not asked to handle the ball or make more than the rudimentary passes Portland’s offense demands. He doesn’t usually turn the ball over, averaging just one a game.
On defense, he’s as good as he’s going to get; you need athleticism, a very long reach, and quick feet to truly excel as a defensive big man in a league that runs a ton of pick-and-roll plays, and Lopez lacks all of those traits. The number of huge human beings with the skills I’ve listed is in the single digits, so no one can really fault Lopez for the Blazers’ lackluster defense.
Lopez sets good screens, especially with Damian Lillard handling the ball. Point guards have two options when Lillard runs them into Lopez: either go over the screen, take away the 3-point shot, then hope the man guarding Lopez can curtail Lillard’s drive and/or Lopez’s roll to the hoop, OR go under the screen, take away the drive and negate Lopez’s roll.
Unfortunately, you let Damian Lillard have a clear look at the basket from three-point range. And he takes it as a great personal insult if you go under the screen–you’d anger him less if you spit on his momma.
Lopez could dive deeper towards the hoop on those plays, really make himself a threat instead of just freeing Lillard, Batum, or whomever else is handling the ball. But this is just nitpicking, really. Lopez is going to be what he is.
Summary: One aspect I didn’t mention is Lopez’s good health in recent years. Ever since he left the Phoenix Suns in 2012, he’s played every game, something he hadn’t done before the Suns let him go.
As long as he continues to do the dirty work for everybody else, and stays healthy while doing it, he will continue to be one of the smartest acquisitions the Trail Blazers have ever made.
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