Caught on Tape: Brook Lopez loses it on coach Avery Johnson

With the pressure of working out a ‘Melo deal and getting out of their losing funk constantly looming, the New Jersey Nets seem like a team disoriented, trying desperately to find their way.

In a week where we heard coach Avery Johnson call out Brook Lopez for a lack of rebounding proficiency (“What I dream about, I really honest to God truth, I dream about our center getting 10 rebounds.”), it seems like Brook now has some gripes of his own.

After being benched in overtime of last night’s loss to the Suns after taking an ill-advised three, Brook was caught by cameras on the bench lobbing a few choice words (allegedly) at his coach to an oblivious Travis Outlaw. In the video below, check out Lopez as he unleashes a pout my three-year-old nephew would be proud of:

Lopez is averaging 18.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks this season, which hasn’t been quite the All-Star breakout some were predicting for him. He is shooting 45 percent from the field, down from last season, and the Nets are in last place in the Atlantic Division at 10-28. Only the Cavaliers have a worse record in the East.

The third-year center’s rebounding has especially come under scrutiny, from the media and from his coach. Rookie forward Derrick Favors averaging one less board per game than Lopez, however Favors gets half the playing time Lopez is logging.

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