What did the Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks say about facing the LeBron Jamesn and the Los Angeles Lakers?
Before the Lakers’ Play-In game, the Grizzlies star stated he’d like to face LeBron James and Co. in the first round of the playoffs. He got his wish.
As always the case in life, one must be careful what they wish for. Never one to shy away from a confrontation or a controversial sound bite, the Grizzlies star made it known that he’d like the opportunity to eliminate the Lakers from the playoffs. Now that he’s got the opportunity, he will need to put his money where his mouth is.
Dillion Brooks called for the Lakers now he’s got them
Whether you love him or hate him, Dillon Brooks may well be one of the more entertaining players in the NBA and quite frankly it may have more to do with his mouth and attitude than his game. With that in mind, his latest foray into the spotlight should come as no surprise as the Grizzlies’ player declared that he’d like to face a specific opponent in the first round of the upcoming NBA playoffs: The greatest player of this generation, LeBron James. Indeed, following Tuesday’s practice Brooks left no room for doubt as to who he’d like to take on.
“I wouldn’t mind playing LeBron (James) in a seven-game series,” Brooks said. “The legacy is there. First time back in the playoffs, knock him out right away. They’ll test us good. They got good pieces, good players. That’ll be a good first-round matchup for us.” Of course, following the Lakers’ 108-102 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Play-In Tournament, Brooks has now got exactly what he asked for. Where James himself is concerned, it’s worth noting that the 19-time NBA All-Star has struggled lately with foot soreness, such that he missed most of March. On the other hand, even a weakened LeBron James is a formidable opponent. In the 266 playoff games of his career, James has averaged 28.7 points, nine rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. To be clear, James has more Finals appearances (10) than Brooks has postseason victories (7), so this could well be a case of ‘biting off more than you can chew.’ None the less, it’s these kind of pokes that will only serve to make the series all the more exciting.
Dillon Brooks and the Lakers have history
Though you probably could have guessed, this isn’t even the first time that the Lakers and Grizzlies have traded barbs. Back in January when the teams met there were several Memphis players, Brooks included, who got involved in a heated debate with Fox Sports analyst, Shannon Sharpe, after he stated at the time that Brooks was too small to guard James. Clearly, that’s something Brooks kept in mind and intends to do something about. Whether he can, is another question.
Of course, this is all in keeping with the Grizzlies trash-talking style which has even seen Brooks entering into a war of words with the Warriors’ Draymond Green. There was also star player, Ja Morant, who famously downplayed the Warriors’ threat in the conference by saying his team was “fine in the West.” Ultimately, it’s one thing to talk the talk, it’s another to walk the walk. Can Brooks and Co. prove their worth against LeBron James and the Lakers? At this point, his street credentials likely depend on doing just that.