NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

June 25, 2021

Brook Lopez

Milwaukee Bucks

Game 2: Postgame

Milwaukee Bucks 125, Atlanta Hawks 91

Q. What was the key to the defensive effort tonight?

BROOK LOPEZ: Yeah, just making them a little less comfortable. You know, getting them out of their comfort zone. Being in passing lanes, like you said, being in driving lanes, having hands up, all of us communicating and talking with one another and kind of being on a string and having that connection, and just being a bit more of the aggressor but on offense and on defense.

Q. At the beginning of the second half, there was a shot clock violation for Trae Young and you were guarding. Can you take me through being on an island on your own trying to guard him?

BROOK LOPEZ: I just wanted to make things difficult for him. I tried to have hands, like you said, and knowing that I had four guys behind me is just so big, you know, so we were all out there just trying to make things as difficult as possible, as tough as possible for the other team.

Q. For you, talk about when you're stunting, dropping, it’s just Brook, like there's not a name that you guys have for it; it's just letting you be you. How freeing was that tonight and how good did it feel to get the chance to be more aggressive?

BROOK LOPEZ: Yeah, obviously Game 1 they played really well and it kind of gave us a feel for what they were going to do in person. But again, it helped knowing that the help was back there, and that was something that we went through in shootaround and we went through in film, just knowing that whoever was going to be there with Capela or Collins frees myself up or Bobby or whoever in the pick-and-roll to be more aggressive and be up and mess with whoever is coming down trying to make a play.

Q. Do you find it fun?

BROOK LOPEZ: Yeah. It's all about activity, and that's definitely a point in the game where I can try to have impact, be someone who can make a difference in the game plan. I definitely enjoy that.

Q. The help guys, what impact did that have on Trae?

BROOK LOPEZ: It's huge. He sees more bodies and he sees more hands and he's not getting downhill like he did in Game 1 where he's in his comfort zone and he can get to his floater which is similar to his lob and sees guys on the perimeter, as well. It's night and day.