The Lakers and Suns met again Sunday night in a rare mid-season rematch born out of the NBA’s new in-season tournament format. Both teams had been bounced from the quarterfinals of the Emirates NBA Cup earlier in the week, and this “make-up” game gave fans another look at one of the league’s more personal rivalries: LeBron James vs. Dillon Brooks.
And true to form, the tension didn’t take long to boil over.
Brooks, now suiting up for Phoenix, has made a habit of needling James - dating back to his days in Memphis. Sunday night added another chapter to that storyline, and this one ended with Brooks watching the final seconds from the locker room.
With the Lakers holding a commanding 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, it looked like the game was all but wrapped. But Phoenix wasn’t done.
They stormed back behind a late surge, capped by a clutch three-pointer from Brooks with just 12.2 seconds left to give the Suns a 114-113 lead. Then came the moment that flipped the game - and maybe cost Phoenix the win.
Right after hitting the go-ahead shot, Brooks bumped James. The referees saw enough to whistle him for a technical foul - his second of the game - and that meant an automatic ejection. It was a costly moment of bravado, and the Lakers capitalized.
On the next possession, James was fouled while attempting a three. He calmly sank two of the three free throws, putting the Lakers back in front 116-114 - a lead they wouldn’t give back.
After the game, James didn’t fan the flames. Instead, he kept it focused on the competition.
“He's going to compete. I'm going to compete,” James said.
“We're going to get up in each other's face. Tried not to go borderline with it.
I don't really take it there. But we just competed.
And did that almost all the way to the end of the game.”
That’s been the tone of this rivalry for a while now. Brooks has leaned into the villain role, especially when it comes to James.
It started back in the 2023 playoffs, when Brooks - then with the Grizzlies - famously called LeBron “old” after Game 2 of their first-round series. Things escalated in Game 3 when Brooks was ejected early in the third quarter after a flagrant 2 foul on James.
Since then, Brooks has continued to play the heel - and not just with James. He’s clashed with players across the league, often walking the line between edgy and reckless.
And while his energy and defense can be disruptive in a good way, there are times when his antics cost his team more than they help. Sunday night was one of those times.
The Suns had clawed their way back into a game that looked lost, only to see momentum swing back to the Lakers in the final seconds - not because of a missed shot or defensive breakdown, but because of a technical foul that didn’t need to happen.
For the Lakers, it was a gritty win in a game that could’ve easily slipped away. For the Suns, it was a reminder that sometimes the biggest plays come after the whistle.
And for Brooks and James, the rivalry rolls on.