For the Lakers’ Brook Lopez, tough year hits a new low in a rough few minutes

Former Memorial High star Brook Lopez has had anything but a welcome return to California while playing this season for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Lopez’s numbers generally have dipped across the board, including an average of 13.2 points per game after scoring at an 18.6 clip in his first nine years in the NBA.

On Thursday, Lopez’s time with the Lakers reached a new low following a stretch of blunders during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers on national TV.

First, the 7-footer moved completely away from the basket to avoid getting dunked on by LeBron James.

Lopez appeared to make no effort to contest James as he drove toward the basket – even though the Fresno native averages 1.7 blocks per game for his career.

A few possessions later, Lopez went to the free-throw line, where’s he’s a career 79.4 percent shooter.

But for some reason, Lopez shot an air ball on his first attempt.

Lopez tried to gather himself between shots, looked toward the Lakers bench and appeared to say “I’m all right” as he nodded his head.

But then Lopez air-balled his second attempt.

To cap his rough night, Lopez bricked a dunk off an alley-oop pass from point guard Lonzo Ball a couple of minutes later.

“Just a little bit of a forgettable second quarter,” TNT play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan said during the broadcast.

The Lakers (10-17) went on to lose 121-112.

Lopez finished 4 of 10 from the field and 0 for 2 from the free-throw line for eight points, along with two assists, one rebound and one block in 22 minutes.

This story was originally published December 14, 2017 at 8:12 PM with the headline "For the Lakers’ Brook Lopez, tough year hits a new low in a rough few minutes."