Fantasy Basketball: Jump on Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez is nearing his return from a foot injury that has cost him New Jersey's first 29 games and counting.

While the risk of reinjury, especially given his size (7'0, 265 lbs), is out there, Lopez has the ability to give you a major boost. Perhaps not the boost that Jeremy Lin has provided fantasy owners in the past five games, but a major lift nonetheless.

Lopez averaged 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.6 steals while shooting 49.2 percent from the floor and 78.7 percent from the line. He also averaged 8.0-plus rebounds his first two seasons in the league, so an improvement in that category wouldn't be surprising. While his field-goal percentage and blocks have decreased each of the past two seasons, he still put up respectable numbers in each category. Plus, his scoring increased dramatically.

Lopez's injury was a shame, not only for the missed time, but after the way he finished the 2010-11 season, the expectations were high. In eight April games, Lopez stepped up his scoring to 25.8 points per game. In his final six games, he hit the 30-point mark four times en route to a 29.8 PPG average. 

Lopez is owned in 61.0 percent of Yahoo! and 58.1 percent of ESPN leagues, so if your window to get him is still open, it won't stay that way for long.

He may not come in scoring 20 points a night, and they could take it slow with him, but he is a must-own. With his return coming in the next week or two, don't wait any longer to grab him.

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