Dillon Brooks always finds a way to get underneath the skin of his opponents, and in 2022, that's exactly what he did back when his Memphis Grizzlies faced off against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

Brooks, however, crossed a line when he gave Gary Payton II a hard hit while he was in midair, causing serious injury — drawing the anger of head coach Steve Kerr, who said that Brooks “broke the code” with what he did.

Three years later, Kerr and the Warriors will be facing off against Brooks in the first round of the playoffs yet again — this time with Brooks donning a Houston Rockets jersey. There is plenty of history between Brooks and the Warriors, and the action could very well become heated once more.

But it looks as though time heals all wounds, as Kerr has let bygones be bygones when it comes to his frustration towards Brooks all while saying that he still feels as though Brooks went overboard three years ago.

“I’ve let that stuff go. I mean, you know in the heat of the moment a few years ago when he closed-lined (sic) Gary, yeah, he was not my favorite guy. That was a cheap shot. I think I said he broke the code. I still feel that way, but I have a lot of respect for Brooks. He’s a hell of a player,” Kerr said, via 95.7 The Game on X (formerly Twitter).

Brooks may grab headlines for the extracurriculars he brings on the court, but there's no question that the intangibles he provides makes him a winning player. Just ask the Grizzlies and the Rockets. The Warriors certainly know better than to underestimate the impact Brooks can have in rallying his teammates and making life difficult for them.

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Warriors must be wary of Dillon Brooks' winning impact

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts in front of Houston Rockets guard Dillon Brooks (9) after the Rockets attempted a free throw in the third quarter at the Chase Center.
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Dillon Brooks is a no-nonsense kind of guy who's unabashedly himself wherever he goes. He has embraced the villain role, and his teams take after his personality of not giving a single hoot about anything. The Rockets have established their identity of grit and toughness, with Brooks playing a major part in that.

The Warriors are wary of the impact Brooks can have on a winning team. And it will serve them best if they give him the respect he deserves all while not relenting an inch and not giving in to the mind games he tends to play.