Dillon Brooks delivered one of his most memorable performances as he scored 33 points in the Phoenix Suns’ 125-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
Brooks, who has been jeered in Los Angeles since the 2023 playoffs when he declared “I poke bears” and referred to LeBron James as “old,” leaned into the rivalry throughout the night.
He traded words with the crowd, taunted James and repeatedly celebrated baskets with gestures mirroring some of James’ own.
“I love playing in this arena,” Brooks said. “They show me a lot of love in here, and I reciprocate it back.
“I’m a competitor, man. I don’t really like the smiling and the giggling and all that, so just letting them know that I’m here. And I’m still rising.”
James confronted Brooks during a timeout in the third quarter, an exchange Brooks relished.
“He likes people that bow down,” Brooks said. “I don’t bow down. So that either entices him or it aggravates him – either or.”
A dominant showing
Brooks scored 23 of his 33 points in the first half, including 15 in the second quarter, helping Phoenix build a 14-point advantage at the break.
“They wanted me to keep shooting, so I kept shooting,” Brooks said after finishing 15-of-26 from the field. He is averaging a career-best 22.3 points per game.
The Suns pulled off the win despite Devin Booker leaving after 10 minutes with a strained right groin.
The loss ended the Lakers’ seven-game winning streak and held James to just 10 points, extending his streak of double-figure games to 1,297, but only just.
James did not mention Brooks in his postgame media session. But after Brooks backed down Bronny James late in the fourth quarter and was called for a travel, the broadcast showed LeBron on the bench giving a thumbs-down gesture.
