During the first half of Game 6 against the Golden State Warriors, Brooks was whistled for another flagrant foul. The Memphis Grizzlies swingman shoved Warriors star Steph Curry to the ground while battling for a loose ball. The officials upgraded the foul to a flagrant 1 upon review.
Dillon Brooks shoved Steph Curry. After review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1.
That was Brooks’ second flagrant foul of the series. The first was a clubbing of an airborne Gary Payton II during Game 2 that led to a broken elbow for Payton (video here). Brooks was given a flagrant 2 for that foul and ejected from the game. The NBA then suspended Brooks for Game 3 as well.
May 26, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz in game two of the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Dillon Brooks on Monday made his return to the Memphis Grizzlies-Golden State Warriors series, and Warriors fans let him hear it.
Brooks was booed heavily during team introductions before Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals series.
Brooks was ejected in the first minutes of Game 2 of the series for a hard foul on Gary Payton II. Brooks was called for a Flagrant 2 foul and later suspended for Game 3. Payton suffered a fractured elbow on the play.
Brooks’ behavior made him an infamous character among Warriors fans. His heel status may have also gotten in his head.
That set the tone for Brooks, who continued to fare poorly. The Grizzlies guard shot an awful 5/19 for just 12 points. He has shot 8/35 (22.8 percent) from the field this series.
Being booed as a villain probably isn’t helping Brooks’ confidence.
May 26, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz in game two of the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Dillon Brooks is somewhat apologetic about his foul that injured Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II in the Western Conference semifinals.
Brooks spoke Monday for the first time since he was suspended for a hard foul that injured Payton in Game 2. The Memphis Grizzlies forward admitted he would “take it back” if he could and avoid injuring Payton, but added that in a “fast-paced game,” he was not intending to hurt anyone.
Dillon Brooks said, “it’s a fast-paced game. Stuff happens… it’s a tough play. I’d take it back if I could but I can’t take it back (with Payton getting hurt).”
Brooks was dismissive, however, of comments made by Warriors coach Steve Kerr claiming Brooks “broke the code.”
Dillon Brooks on Steve Kerr saying he broke the code: “I don’t even really know what that means. It’s the playoffs… every play counts. So I don’t know what that means.”
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are up in arms over a play made on Ja Morant by Warriors guard Jordan Poole that left Morant injured. Morant has even used Kerr’s “broke the code” quote against Golden State as a result. Brooks will be back in the lineup for Monday’s game, and that could certainly inflame tensions further.
May 26, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz in game two of the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Dillon Brooks was suspended for his hard foul on Gary Payton II in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals, sparking debate over
whether the punishment was too harsh. At least one of Brooks’ Memphis Grizzlies teammates seems to think the suspension might just be justified.
Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke admitted that Brooks’ foul on Payton was over the line, though he added that he thinks Brooks “feels bad” about what happened.
“I watched it again, and Dillon definitely fouled him way too hard and did something that he shouldn’t have done,” Clarke said on Wednesday’s “The Lowe Post” podcast, via Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area. “But it’s tough. There’s obviously falls every game that could definitely result in somebody getting hurt, but you really don’t want to see somebody get hurt off a flagrant, obviously. I know that Dillon feels bad. It’s just a real bad part of the game, but hopefully, we all can move on from that.”
The NBA certainly agreed based on the punishment it handed down Thursday. Brooks has been defended by some big names, but there have not been many arguing that the play in question was avoidable. The fact that one of Brooks’ own teammates is willing to say as much only drives that point home further.
Memphis Grizzlies star Dillon Brooks missed almost all of Game 2 of his team’s Western Conference seminfinal series against the Golden State Warriors after he was ejected, and the act will cost him Game 3 as well.
Brooks was called for a flagrant-2 foul three minutes into the Grizzlies’ 106-101 win over the Warriors on Tuesday night. He clubbed Gary Payton II in the head as Payton was heading for a layup (video here). On Thursday, the NBA announced that Brooks has been suspended for Game 3.
Payton injured his elbow on the play and was knocked out for the remainder of the game. Tests later revealed that he suffered a fracture and is expected to miss about a month.
May 26, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz in game two of the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
One O.G. of physical, old-school NBA basketball is weighing in on this week’s controversy surrounding Dillon Brooks.
Retired Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas appeared Wednesday on SiriusXM NBA Radio and defended the Memphis Grizzlies swingman Brooks over Brooks’ flagrant foul on Gary Payton II that infuriated the Golden State Warriors (video here).
“It’s a fast-moving physical game [and] accidents do happen,” said Thomas. “Would I put this in the category of an accident? Yes … I think we need to be careful when we start labeling people and teams as dirty. I speak as a former [Detroit] Piston, NBA champion, Hall of Famer who has to fight and still fights these negative labels of ‘dirty.’ That carries a lot of implications in society when you move it outside the court.
“[Brooks] is not a dirty player,” Thomas continued. “Memphis is not a dirty team. They play hard, they play physical, they have always played the right way. When we talk about defense, unfortunately in sports, defense always gets attached to negative labels. When we describe offense, we always describe it with positive labels.”
“Dirty” was exactly what many, including Warriors coach Steve Kerr, called Brooks’ foul on Payton during Tuesday’s Game 2 of the Grizzlies-Warriors second-round series. Brooks was assessed a Flagrant 2 for the play, which triggered an automatic ejection, and is now facing the possibility of more punishment from the NBA as well. Meanwhile, Payton is now expected to miss a significant amount of time with the injury he suffered on the foul.
As for Thomas, he was the leader of the Bad Boys Pistons, a team whose roughneck, no-nonsense style of play led to them being labeled as dirty. While bigger players like Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn were often the ones delivering the fouls, Thomas had a reputation as the one calling the shots and suffered because of that reputation. Thus, his comments on Brooks here might be a subtle defense of Thomas’ own legacy as well.
Dillon Brooks was ejected minutes into Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals series between his Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night due to a flagrant-2 foul.
Memphis was leading 8-0 just three minutes into Game 2 when Golden State tried for a transition bucket. Draymond Green passed ahead to Gary Payton II, who was heading for a layup. Brooks came by and swatted Payton down to the floor.
Dillon Brooks was ejected for this flagrant 2 on Gary Payton.
Payton hurt his left elbow on the play and was knocked out for the game.
Immediately, the Warriors were furious. Steve Kerr used some profanity, while Klay Thompson called the play “bulls—.”
Steve Kerr screaming down at the Memphis bench after that Dillon Brooks foul and ejection: "Get the f*** out of here." Klay Thompson: "That's bull****." As upset as I've seen them at a foul.
The Warriors were understandably upset after seeing one of their players get hurt. And the officials determined that was a non-basketball play, which explains the ejection.
Golden State entered Tuesday’s game leading the series 1-0.
Though Andre Iguodala’s time with the Grizzlies lasted about as long as Kim Kardashian’s marriage to Kris Humphries, the people in Memphis still have not forgotten.
The Golden State Warriors veteran Iguodala heard boos from the Memphis crowd during Monday’s game with the Grizzlies. Iguodala famously refused to play for Memphis when the Warriors traded him there in 2019, holding out for months until the Grizzlies finally traded him to the Miami Heat.
Memphis went on to flatten the Warriors, winning by the final of 123-95. After the game, Grizzlies swingman Dillon Brooks reacted to the boos for Iguodala and added in some shade of his own.
“We all had the vision. He didn’t, which is perfect,” said Brooks of Iguodala, per HoopsHype. “Send him back to the Warriors and let him do his thing over there.”
Iguodala’s holdout actually seemed like the right move at the time. The Grizzlies finished below .500 in the season that he was there, and Iguodala immediately made the Finals with the Heat just months after being traded there. But Memphis has risen meteorically over the last couple of seasons thanks to the development of young guys like Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Brooks. To the shock and awe of everyone this year, the Grizzlies are now 53-23, a full five games ahead of Iguodala’s current team, the Warriors, in the standings.
You have to give credit to Brooks here. He had the same shade for Iguodala when Iguodala was still with the Grizzlies and refusing to suit up for them. Now that Memphis has successfully built a contender from the ground up, it makes Brooks and everyone else who believed in what they were doing look really good.
Photo: Feb 20, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Miami Heat forward Andre Iguodala (28) is all smiles during pregame warmups before the Heats game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Steph Curry is one of the toughest players in the NBA to defend, and one can argue that sometimes he’s un-guardable. But one player may give the Golden State Warriors guard more trouble than anyone else.
It’s probably not someone you would think of.
Draymond Green believes that Dillon Brooks gives Curry a harder time than anyone else in the league.
Draymond Green when asked what Steph does against a guy who gives him trouble: "… Who gives him trouble?"
"Dillon Brooks."
"…I don't think anyone in the world can defend Steph."
Curry torched Brooks’ Grizzlies for 46 points in Thursday’s 113-104 win. But when matched up against Curry, Brooks does give the Warriors star some trouble.
Stephen Curry went actually guarded by Dillon Brooks
Golden State reasserted itself with a big win on Christmas against the Suns. At 27-6, they have the best record in the NBA.
Photo: Nov 30, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
One Memphis Grizzlies player may be trying to join Damian Lillard and Joe Ingles on Paul George’s list of enemies.
The Grizzlies played George’s LA Clippers on Thursday night, winning 120-108. After the game, Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks, who was a primary defender on George, took a shot at the seven-time All-Star.
“Paul George needs illegal screens to get open against me cuz I’m on him all night,” said Brooks, per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.
Despite the loss, George still finished with a team-high 23 points to go along with five rebounds and six assists. George also had five three-pointers on an efficient 9-for-18 shooting night overall. Thus, it does not seem like Brooks really bothered him much at all.
George often has screens set for him by seven-footers Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein, so that was probably who Brooks was really upset with. Brooks is also a bit of an instigator who has beefed with other opponents too.
Photo: Feb 26, 2020; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
