The Phoenix Suns snapped the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with a heavy dose of trash talking and scoring from Dillon Brooks. In the 125-108 blowout win, Brooks led the Suns with 33 points on a night where Devin Booker played just nine minutes after suffering a groin injury.
With every made bucket, Brooks let everyone within earshot know he’s not afraid of the moment. He hit mid-range jumpers, a couple 3s and finishing tough buckets at the rim that prompted him to do LeBron James’ own celebration shrugs in front of him. Brooks was met with continuous booing from the crowd after hitting James’ celebration.
Brooks relished the moment, especially after James jawed with the Suns guard during a timeout that required his Lakers teammates to come and get him. James finished with just 10 points on a 30% shooting night.
“I’m a competitor, I don’t really like the smiling, the giggling and all that,” Brooks said. “Just letting him know that I’m here and that I’m still rising.”
When asked if James took offense to Brooks’ words, the Suns guard didn’t mince words on how he feels about the league’s all-time leading scorer.
“Always, always, he likes people that bow down, I don’t bow down,” Brooks said. “That either entices him, or aggravates him.”
Brooks and James have some history going back to the 2023 playoffs when he was still a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. In a Game 2 win of that series in which Brooks made some clutch 3s over James and had a back-and-forth throughout the game, he called the four-time champion “old.” Brooks explained the confrontation with James, saying “I don’t care, he’s old. … I poke bears. I don’t respect someone until he gives me 40.”
James won the last laugh that round after leading the Lakers to a 4-2 series win. By comparison, Brooks had his worst playoff performance, which ended up being the last time he suited up for the Grizzlies in part because of his on-court antics.
Over Brooks’ nine-year career he embraces a heel persona. He thrives in getting under his opponents’ skin, and uses that to his advantage to help his team win. He’s gotten in countless skirmishes, especially during his six years with the Grizzlies. But he’s not just an enforcer or a defensive pest whose only capable of playing aggressive defense, he’s also a skilled offensive player who can get you a handful of buckets every night.
All of that was on full display Monday night against the Lakers, where massive offensive performances back up his talk. Once Green returns, and if Brooks continues this level of play the Suns have the potential to surprise some people in a deep Western Conference. Very few people expected this team to be where they are right now, and even less thought it would be because of Brooks’ offensive play.
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