HOUSTON – Despite the Houston Rockets' third straight loss this past Sunday night in their home opener against the Golden State Warriors to start the season, newly acquired Dillon Brooks offers fans a reason for optimism. Giving one of the most controversial players in the NBA a four-year, $80 million deal initially seemed like a mistake given his lackluster performances in both the regular season and playoffs last year, especially after his remarks about LeBron James.
Brooks' new team gives him something to prove. A chance to write his wrongs.
Dillon is the self-proclaimed “best defender in the NBA,” and he backed this debate with a stellar performance for Canada in the FIBA World Cup, guarding the likes of players such as Luka Doncic, who played for Team Slovenia. Brooks' defense on the floor earned him the Best Defensive Player Award for the entire tournament.
Worth the money thus far
Despite initial concerns of an overpayment, Brooks has proven his worth early in the season. In his first three games with the Rockets, he is averaging 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. These scoring figures mirror last season's, but his field goal and three-point shooting percentages have both impressively started at 53.8%. His true shooting percentage stands at 67.7%, ranking him among elite company with players like Nikola Jokic, Tyrese Maxey, and Donovan Mitchell. Additionally, he's averaging 33.2 minutes on the court per game—the highest in his seven-year career.
Yes, it's a vastly small sample size, but the former Oregon player has made a promising start, which is the main reason the Rockets signed him to a lucrative deal.
Although scoring is not Dillon's primary focus, his defensive anchoring on the wings and efficient off-ball play on both sides of the floor is desperately needed. With an opponent field goal percentage of just 34% on 38 attempts and efficient shooting on the offensive end, seeing his numbers improve on both sides of the floor is encouraging.
Given his production on defense, many NBA fans called out Brooks while guarding the two-time MVP and four-time champion Stephen Curry on Sunday night.
The sheer euphoria of NBA fans witnessing Curry toying with Brooks with his wizardry of crossover moves into a pull-up three is exactly what they wanted to see in the highlights. However, this snippet doesn't capture the full story of the game. It was, in fact, the only shot Curry made against Brooks. The best shooter of all time managed only a 1-for-5 from the field when Brooks was defending him. On the flip side, Brooks was 3-for-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep against Curry. So much for an offensive liability, right?
In addition to Brooks' defense
Following the Rockets third loss to open the season, Warriors All-Star forward Draymond Green spoke highly of the new-look Rockets.
“This team, we would have won this game before by 20 or 30 points because that team would have quit,” Green said. “But they’re under Ime (Udoka) now, that’s a different thing.”
Look, Green is right. The Rockets are clearly better with this new roster and coach. In the Stephen Silas era, it's likely the roster would have folded after the first half, or maybe even in the first quarter. Arguably, the Rockets just might be the toughest team to play that has yet to get a win after three games.
When asked about his mentality while guarding the best player after the game, Brooks had this to say:
“My mentality is the same he [Curry] has in scoring the basketball. How hard he works in getting his shot is how hard I have to work to make him take the toughest shot possible.”
The Rockets face a challenging climb out of their current deficit, and while Dillon Brooks can't turn things around on his own, the team's 16-point second-half comeback against the Warriors is a testament to their resilience. This comeback could serve as a catalyst for the Rockets as they prepare for their next games and the upcoming NBA In-Season Tournament this Friday.
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