What did Dillon Brooks say to LeBron James?
A rift between LeBron James and Dillon Brooks has certainly set the wheels in motion for a thrilling first-round matchup.
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Dillon Brooks taunting LeBron James (Image via Brandon Dill/AP)
The feud between Dillon Brooks and LeBron James is easily one of the most talked about topics in the NBA currently. While Brooks has always had the reputation of being troublesome, James hasn’t shied away from standing up to him. After all, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar is an NBA veteran playing his 20th season. Although before the series between the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers began, things weren’t so tense. James spoke about how competitive the Grizzlies are and that they should be respected. Therefore, the question is, when did things go south between the two players?
It all started when the Lakers were playing Memphis at home with a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 of the series was a test for the Grizzlies as they were playing without Ja Morant. In the absence of their front-running player, the visitors looked to extend their lead to 2-0. However, the competitive spirit of the home side managed to avoid the result going against them. It was in this game that the entire tussle between the Lakers and Grizzlies forward started.
The Lakers were trailing by 16 points in the third quarter when LeBron James scored a mid-range jumper over Dillon Brooks. Brooks, who was talking trash, was met with a befitting reply from James as both players started running to the other side for the Grizzlies’ offense.
Brooks then clapped hard in front of James’ face to get the Laker riled up. In the fourth quarter, the tension between the two players escalated when Brooks stared James down after hitting a three-pointer. As the Grizzlies won the game 93-103, the stage was set for Game 3 in Los Angeles.
Did the Brooks-James feud escalate in Game 3?
Dillon Brooks spoke to reporters after the game. When he was asked about the trash-talking between him and the Lakers superstar, the Grizzlies forward responded by saying, “I don’t care. He’s old.” He also mentioned how he doesn’t respect a player until and unless they score 40. “I poke bears. I don’t respect no one until they come and give me forty,” he said
The Los Angeles Lakers headed home to host Game 3 of the series. Understandably, fans and critics were keen to see how the two players engage with each other. Both James and Brooks did not disappoint fans as they were seen exchanging words before the game even began. The Laker was spotted talking to the Grizzlies forward during the pre-game routine, leaving fans curious.
Later that game, the story of LeBron James and Dillon Brooks would escalate to a new height. The Lakers had a formidable lead as the third quarter started. This is when Brooks made an attempt to steal the ball from James and ended up hitting him in the groin. James fell on the fall, visibly struggling in pain as Brooks was ejected on the grounds of a flagrant two.
The Lakers defended their home court as they won Game 3 101-111. In the post-game press conference, LeBron James was asked about the feud between him and Dillon Brooks. To this, the NBA veteran replied, “I don’t need to make statements.” He also explained what the Los Angeles Lakers need to do as a team going forward. “We just want to play well. We gotta win and we’re gonna try to do that in Game 4 as well,” he said.
How did Game 4 pan out for both players?
Ahead of Game 4, Dillon Brooks spoke in an interview about how he thinks the media portrays him. “The media making me a villain. The fans making me a villain. Then that just creates a whole different persona of me. So now you think I intended to hit LeBron James in the nuts,” he said.
The air around the Brooks-James feud was intense as the Lakers head into Game 4 with a 2-1 series lead. The Lakers superstar put up a phenomenal show for the fans at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. He created history, as LeBron James became the oldest player in the NBA to record 20 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game.
The Lakers were down 104-102 with 6 seconds left in the game when James drove to the basket. In an exhilarating display of basketball, the Lakers superstar laid the ball up to tie the game 104-104 with 0.8 seconds left, forcing overtime.
The home team then outscored the Grizzlies 7-13 in overtime to win Game 4 and take commanding a 3-1 series lead. Although there has been praise for James’ clutch play, many have now started to mock Dillon Brooks. This mockery comes particularly because it was Brook who failed to keep James from scoring when it mattered the most for his side. NBA fans and critics are in all praise for the veteran as the series now heads back to Memphis for Game 5. A game where the Lakers could potentially advance to the Conference Semi-Finals.
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Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)