Dillon Brooks praised for not being 'friends' with LeBron James in playoff feud
Dillon Brooks and LeBron James have clashed on and off the court as the Memphis Grizzles and Los Angeles Lakers battle in their first round clash in the NBA playoffs.
Former NBA player Stephen Jackson has defended Dillon Brooks after the Memphis Grizzlies star hit out at LeBron James amid their NBA playoff contest. Brooks hit two threes deep into the fourth quarter to lead the Grizzlies to a 103-93 win over the Lakers at FedExForum on Saturday.
The Grizzlies hit back after losing Game 1 at home, tying the series up ahead of Game 3 in Los Angeles. Brooks scored 12 points but hit two massive threes down the stretch to ice the game for the Grizzlies.
However, the fiery 27-year-old hit headlines after the game as he aimed his sights on James, who scored 28 points in the defeat. When asked about James, Brooks said: “He's old. I poke bears. I don't respect no one until they come and give me 40.”
Jackson, whose NBA career spanned 14 years and nine franchises, admitted it was good to see Brooks taking it to James in a playoff contest. The 45-year-old pointed to the culture of the modern NBA and how players are all friends off the court rather than fierce rivals.
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“I’m happy somebody wanna compete and not be friends," Jackson said. “I love guys that wanna compete. Too many players let Bron score. They wanna be friends."
James declined to respond to the Grizzlies guard ahead of Game 3 in Los Angeles on Saturday. After practice on Friday, reporters asked him about the clash with Brooks and James admitted: “I’m not here for this bull****.”
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While James never called out Brooks by name, he seemed to be referring to the guard although he avoided several question about his opponent’s comments. The 38-year-old then prematurely ended his media session early.
Brooks’ comments found traction in the media given the status of James. The King has won four NBA titles and four MVP awards while he is the leading scorer in NBA history, whereas Brooks has just one playoff series win to his name.
The Lakers and Grizzlies continue their series with Game 3 on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.