LOS ANGELES — Dillon Brooks poked the bear again and enjoyed every bit of it.
Brooks lit up the Los Angeles Lakers for 33 points in the Phoenix Suns' 125-108 win Monday night, and his prolific scoring wasn't the most entertaining aspect of his performance at his favorite road arena.
Brooks has been treated like a public enemy at Crypto.com Arena since the first round of the 2023 playoffs, when he boasted «I poke bears» and dismissively called LeBron James «old» after the Memphis Grizzlies' Game 2 win. Brooks struggled the rest of the series — his final games in a Memphis uniform — as the Lakers eliminated the Grizzlies in six games.
Brooks agitated the crowd and James throughout Monday's contest. He talked trash relentlessly and celebrated several of his buckets with animated gestures that were strikingly similar to some of James' favorite celebrations. For instance, Brooks stared down James after a transition dunk in the second quarter and twice did an exaggerated shoulder shrug, prompting jeers from fans.
«I love playing in this arena,» Brooks said. «They show me a lot of love in here, and I reciprocate it back.
»I'm a competitor, man. I don't really like the smiling and the giggling and all that, so just letting them know that I'm here. And I'm still rising."
James lingered by the Suns bench during a timeout late in the third quarter and barked at Brooks, who took great satisfaction in getting under the 40-year-old all-time leading scorer's skin.
«He likes people that bow down,» Brooks, 29, said. «I don't bow down. So, that either entices him or it aggravates him — either or.»
Brooks' energy and antics amuse and inspire the Suns, who are off to a refreshing 13-9 start, an impressive rebound from last season's 36-46
Read more on espn.com
espn.com
