Before he went out and faced his twin Robin in New Orleans just over two weeks ago, Brook Lopez had a poignant observation about his brother.
“Worst player in the league,” Brook proclaimed.
Last night, with Barclays Center as the venue, Robin returned the favor.
“That guy’s a jackass, so I enjoy setting him up,” Robin proclaimed.
Ah, brotherly love. Sort of like a modern-day Cain and Abel.
Actually, the twins are very close and talk frequently — only not about basketball. So even when Brook was living the “Dwightmare” last year, Robin avoided the subject.
“We don’t talk basketball at all actually,” said Robin, who at 7-foot and 255 pounds is the same listed height but 10 pounds lighter than Brook. “We talk movies, comic books, TV shows stuff like that.”
It doesn’t stop others from talking up the basketball side of the twins. After pouring in 26 points in the 108-98 victory over New Orleans Tuesday night, Brook is averaging a team best 18.6 points plus 7.1 rebounds for the playoff-hunting Nets while Robin, who scored 15 and grabbed eight rebounds, averages 11.2 points and 5.3 boards for the rebuilding Hornets.
The similarities go beyond numbers and the mirror images.
“The skills level,” Nets interim P.J. Carlesimo said. “Not to make a joke out of it but what are the chances of one household in the United States having two starting centers in the NBA? It’s really an amazing thing.
“Brook is more offense and has become more of a shot blocker. Robin is probably more rebounding. Robin is an energy guy. Brook I think plays a little more under control. Robin plays more all out, all over the place,” Carlesimo added. “But their size is still the biggest thing. Robin has improved offensively. He’s got that little lefty hook. I was going to say there are more similarities than differences but they have a number of things in common and a number of things that are distinctly different. Again going back to Stanford, for two of them to be playing in the NBA is kind of amazing.”
The brothers always look forward to going against each other. Twice this season, Brook and the Nets won out. And even with the Nets’ victory In New Orleans late last month when Brook got the best of the matchup, Robin holds a 4-3 career edge in the matchup.
But the Nets’ Lopez earned the right to gloat with a terrifying dunk on his brother in the third quarter last night.
“I haven’t seen a replay yet. I need to see a replay and I’ll get back to you,” Brook said. “We don’t talk to each other during games but he dunked on me our rookie year so this was getting him back.”
So the Nets entry in the Lopez wars was impressive in two meetings. But what impressed brother Robin was not what he saw but what he heard.
“I was impressed the last time we played them that he’s become kind of a leader on the team. He’s done a really good job of being vocal,” Robin said. “He’s always had the skills and everything but he’s done a good job of being a presence on the court.
“As for improvement, it’s been everything. It has to, to be an All-Star and everything. He’s just been a lot sharper with everything.”