The rivalry between Dillon Brooks and LeBron James added another fiery chapter over the weekend-and this one had just about everything: a 20-point comeback, late-game drama, a clutch three, a technical ejection, and, of course, some postgame fireworks.
Let’s set the stage. The Suns clawed their way back from a 20-point deficit against the Lakers, only to fall 116-114 in the final seconds. But the real headline came in the closing moments-not from the scoreboard, but from the ongoing tension between Brooks and LeBron.
With just 12.2 seconds left, Brooks knocked down a go-ahead three-pointer and let LeBron know all about it. The celebration turned confrontational, and officials didn’t hesitate to hit Brooks with a second technical foul, ejecting him from the game. That moment-pure Brooks: bold, brash, and unbothered by the moment or the opponent.
LeBron missed the technical free throw that followed, but the Lakers weren’t done. With just three seconds remaining, Devin Booker fouled James on a three-point attempt. LeBron calmly stepped to the line and sank two of three, sealing a dramatic win for Los Angeles and capping off an emotionally charged battle.
Up to that point, Brooks had stayed quiet publicly. But when reporters circled back midweek, he didn’t hold back.
Asked about James, Brooks fired another shot:
“I guess he's a social media junkie,” he said.
“He be all over the socials, so he be seeing what I'm saying. ... Like I've said, he thinks that people should think a way about him or not say nothing about him or play a certain way, and I'm not going to play that way.
He gets in his moods or in his modes or whatever it is. I'm all for that.
I wish we let him shoot that shot and that s--- would have been an airball.”
That quote? Classic Brooks.
He’s never been one to shy away from a headline-or a heavyweight. And when it comes to LeBron, he’s clearly not backing down.
Whether you view it as mind games, competitive fire, or just plain trash talk, Brooks continues to lean into the role of agitator, especially when it comes to one of the game’s all-time greats.
The tension between these two has been simmering for a while now, and it’s not going away anytime soon. The Suns and Lakers are set to meet again on December 23, marking their third clash this month. With both teams jockeying for postseason position and pride on the line, you can bet this won’t be a quiet night at the arena.
And while the scoreboard ultimately determines the outcome, sometimes the subplots are what make a regular-season game feel like a playoff battle. Brooks vs. LeBron is shaping up to be just that-a personal rivalry that adds fuel to an already competitive Western Conference fire.
One thing’s for sure: when these two share the court again, don’t expect many holiday pleasantries.