Robin Lopez’s name doesn’t usually come to mind when pondering the NBA’s top sharpshooters.
Still, the Bulls center has been on target of late — and not just from inside the paint. In the three games before Friday night’s against the Rockets at the Toyota Center, Lopez was a blistering 19-for-27 from the floor for a .704 percentage.
"My teammates have done a great job of finding me in really good spots," Lopez said. "I’ve had a good feel in the past few games. We’re doing a good job of sharing the ball right now."
Lopez has been effective with his midrange jumper while defenses focus on shutting down Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade.
"It’s something I’ve been a little more aware of this season," Lopez said. "We have a lot of people who hang around the basket so there are a lot of opportunities that I’m getting right now."
Said coach Fred Hoiberg: "We’ve made simple plays, which has really helped Robin get open looks from that free-throw line. We’ve done a good job of getting him the ball at times when he gets on the block before the defense gets set. The big thing with Robin is he’s playing with a lot of confidence."
Big man: The Rockets retired Yao Ming’s No. 11 jersey during a halftime ceremony. The 7-foot-6-inch center was an eight-time All-Star in his nine NBA seasons — all with the Rockets — before his career was cut short because of injuries.
Yao, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in September, spoke of his memories of the Bulls, including when Michael Jordan visited China and "a mountain of people" swarmed Jordan.
Hoiberg had his own vivid memory of facing Yao.
"The very first time I played him, I had a jump ball and I tied him up," Hoiberg said. "I kind of approached it the way D-Wade approaches his jump balls: I didn’t jump.
"He was just a massive presence out there on the floor. And great for the game. Globally, you could argue he was as good for the game as anybody."
Almost: Hoiberg matched up against Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni on Friday night. There was a time when Hoiberg thought he would be playing for his now-counterpart.
At the end of his playing career, Hoiberg was coming off open-heart surgery but nearly signed with the Suns when D’Antoni was their coach.
"We pretty much agreed to terms and a doctor stepped in and said, ‘What are you doing?,’ " Hoiberg said. "Unfortunately, I never got that chance to play in that system but I would have loved it."
Said D’Antoni: "We thought we had him. He would have fit in perfectly."
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