NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

July 1, 2021

Brook Lopez

Milwaukee Bucks

Game 5: Postgame

Milwaukee Bucks 123, Atlanta Hawks 112

Q. You said in the postgame interview, you wanted to dominate from the start.

BROOK LOPEZ: Yeah, that was definitely a big part of it. We just had to come out with the right focus, the right energy from the get-go because those are obviously -- that was obviously a big advantage in those two games in Atlanta, and so we knew we had to come out right from the beginning and play a full 48 minutes on both ends.

Q. The way the game changed over the past decade, you had to change your game. How much of tonight feet like a throwback to your early days when paint and post play were a bigger part of the game?

BROOK LOPEZ: I'm just trying to go out there and help my team however possible, whether it's playing that new, modern three-ball game, floor-stretch game or being inside.

What's great about today is we were all basketball players playing together on offense and defense. We were playing off one another, making plays, making extra passes. It was a lot of fun tonight.

Q. What did you see from Jrue early? Felt like from the start, he was getting to the paint over and over again.

BROOK LOPEZ: He was just very assertive and making plays for everyone. He was getting in the paint, making plays, reading the defense -- not even reading the defense; making the defense make a decision and playing off that. He was absolutely a huge spark for us.

Q. When people drive typically on this team, Giannis runs to the front of the rim. You didn't do that tonight. How much fun did you have running to the front of the rim as Jrue turned the corner and what was that like for you?

BROOK LOPEZ: It was definitely fun. You know, like I said, Giannis, usually watch him. But it's easy when you have guys like Jrue and Khris who are making plays like that. They draw so much attention, command so much attention and rightfully so. They know how to make that extra pass, that play, whoever it is, whether it's me diving or Bobby or Pat in the corner, P.J., they know how to make that play.

Q. As you see Jrue throw that alley-oop, what's your first thought?

BROOK LOPEZ: I was actually like, that's behind me a little bit. I just tried to go get it. He's been so good at making the right play. He put it up there, you know, and that's on me to just go get it and put it in the rim.

Q. You're thinking, oh, I have to go and get it. But back here, is there any doubt that it's going to get to the rim?

BROOK LOPEZ: No. I honestly was just like, all right, grab the ball first off and then just get it to the rim one way or another. But he just -- he made great play after great play almost every time tonight.

Q. Jrue has been asked that question about the pressure thing, the team getting him and he said from day one, there is no pressure. What kind of tone does that set, where you know what kind of guy and player he is, he is traded for, but it didn't seem like he carries that pressure at all.

BROOK LOPEZ: No, he's very comfortable in these situations. You know, that's something I kind of talk about, we just kind of built from the preseason to the regular season all the way through to now. Just having that confidence in ourselves as players and as a team, you know, knowing that we've been through a lot of stuff through this season, we've learned through a lot of stuff, both in wins and losses and we have that experience as a group. And you know, as individuals, as well. We're confident in ourselves and we know that we can go out there and that we can excel in our role. I think it's just having trust in one another that our teammates are out there with us and then obviously we know what each and every one of our jobs is.

Q. Obviously Giannis has missed games and we've talked to you after games like this that you've had, Brooklyn Brook and all that. If you don't know when he'll be able to come back, does it -- I don't want to say help, but do you think this is what is needed of you, however many games?

BROOK LOPEZ: Yeah, I'm prepared for whatever is asked for me by the team but it's absolutely just everyone stepping up together to fill that. Obviously, no one can replace Giannis, two-time MVP and so much of what we do. No one person is going to replace that. It's a matter of everyone stepping up, and everyone showed that we're capable of doing that tonight.

Q. Have you seen the replay yet?

BROOK LOPEZ: Of Jrue's lob?

Q. Yeah.

BROOK LOPEZ: I saw one. One of the owners showed it to me. That's about as long as I'm going to stay in the air in my life, probably.

Q. He said it was a bad pass; was it?

BROOK LOPEZ: I've always told other players and guards, just try to get it to me, and I'll try to do the rest. So he made the pass; it was a good pass.

Q. So much of the time now, you're a stretch five and you're camped behind the three-point line. What was it like to play that Brooklyn Brook role tonight and be the old 7-1 guy that's so important for your team?

BROOK LOPEZ: Like I said, I was just trying to read off Khris and Jrue who are making good plays throughout the whole night. Honestly, I was just more concerned with being as effective as I could on defense. You know, communicating with everyone, all of us being together, knowing that we are going to switch one through five. I was trying to put a lot of energy there and make a difference on the ball.

Q. When you got two blocked shots right out of the jump, how would you describe your defensive mindset in this game?

BROOK LOPEZ: Yeah, obviously just trying to be aggressive, trying to have an effect. It's something I've said all season, just knowing that my guys are back there behind me. I have four guys back there behind me and are there to help, makes that job a lot easier.

Q. Understanding what the goals were for this team at the beginning of the season to know that you're one game away from the NBA Finals, how does that sound?

BROOK LOPEZ: It's exciting. You know, but it's obviously not done. We need to bottle that energy and effort that we had tonight and do it again in two days.