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Brook Lopez · Once upon a time an inside-the-arc-only threat with zero 3-pointers over his first six seasons, Brook Lopez could perhaps smile, when considering how far his skillset has come since arriving as a member of the Nets. Ironically enough, as he connected on 26, 29, and 32-foot rainbow triples during a minute-and-a-half heat check, “far” might be the most accurate description of his shot selection on December 26, 2024. Parallel to the Milwaukee Bucks’ sidecourt logo after his “ghost screen,” Lopez — having already discovered the magic touch from floater range — carefully scrutinizes the commitment of Shake Milton’s contest before swishing a 3-pointer from the parking lot. Knowing offensive excellence to be officially checked from the unofficial bingo board, Lopez locks in defensively, shadowing Cam Johnson’s drive before offering an elite second-effort play, denying Nic Claxton’s alley-oop jam attempt with ferocity. Even in defeat to the Brooklyn Nets, Lopez left behind a night worth remembering, as he climbed to No. 20 on the all-time blocks leaderboard. Equally noteworthy box score-wise, Lopez finished with 20 points (on 8-of-12 shooting), accompanied by seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks, and four triples. · State of Mint