Damian Lillard is back to looking like Damian Lillard, and that made what happened with Dillon Brooks stand out even more.
The Portland Trail Blazers guard, who missed all of last season with his Achilles injury, has returned to stacking up steady 20-point nights and flashing “Dame Time” again. But in the middle of Portland’s matchup with the Phoenix Suns, Brooks crossed a line that immediately drew Lillard’s attention.
The sequence started with Brooks being called for stepping on the sideline while pump-faking against a Lillard contest. Even after the whistle, Brooks still let go of a 3-pointer. As Lillard reached out to bother the shot, Brooks extended his foot in what looked like an attempt to step on Lillard’s Achilles.
Lillard did not take kindly to it. He went right at Brooks, and the two had to be separated quickly by referees and Blazers coaches before the exchange could turn into something bigger.
That kind of moment fits Brooks’ reputation around the league. He’s built a name as one of basketball’s biggest agitators, the sort of player who seems to end up in the middle of something almost every time out. He’s been involved in a scuffle with Draymond Green and has also been ejected for a flagrant foul.
Still, this one landed differently because of Lillard’s history. After everything he went through to recover from the Achilles injury that cost him all of last season, Brooks’ move was especially out of line.
Lillard’s reaction made sense, and fortunately the situation stopped there. Dame wasn’t hurt, and the confrontation never went beyond that brief flashpoint.
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