It is no secret that Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James and Phoenix Suns sparkplug Dillon Brooks have one of the NBA’s most contentious beefs. Fans and pundits were treated to another installment of the feud during the Lakers’ 116-114 victory on Sunday.
After Brooks drained a clutch 3-pointer to give the Suns a lead with 12.2 seconds remaining in regulation, he went chest-to-chest with James, earned a technical foul, and was ejected in the process.
Even though James missed the technical free throw, he was fouled by Suns guard Devin Booker on the possession that followed while he attempted a 3-pointer, and made two of three shots from the charity stripe, helping the Lakers take advantage of Brooks’ poorly-timed miscue.
“He's going to compete. I'm going to compete,” James told reporters after the game. “We're going to get up in each other's face. Tried not to go borderline with it… And did that almost all the way to the end of the game.”
James totaled 26 points, 3 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks while Brooks tallied 18 points, one rebound, and one steal.
The dispute between the two players started during the 2023 playoffs when Brooks referred to James as “old” while playing for the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Yeah, I mean there's history there,” Booker told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I love to see it. People always say everything's too friendly in the NBA and then Dillon comes around and now it's too much. So like I said, I'd rather it the other way — that it'd be too much.”
It remains to be seen if there will be another flare-up between James and Brooks down the road, but their latest exchange certainly benefited the older and more seasoned individual.
