Unlike the previous game, LeBron James and co. weren’t half as dominant or energetic in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Grizzlies. Allowing merely 2 players from the Los Angeles Lakers to score 20+ points, a severely shorthanded Memphis team managed to grab a 103-93 win, tying the series at 1 game apiece.
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Playing without Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke, and Steven Adams, Taylor Jenkins and co. witnessed the likes of Xavier Tillman and David Roddy rise up to the occasion.
Further, Jaren Jackson Jr. had a great game. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year restricted Anthony Davis to merely 13 points, and himself lodged an 18-point, 9-rebound performance.
However, it was Dillon Brooks who kept things interesting all game long and even after the conclusion of the contest.
Charles Barkley agrees with Dillon Brooks’ controversial comments
Brooks finished the battle with 12 points and 3 assists. However, being the vocal leader he was for the Tennessee-based franchise, the 6-foot-6 forward was chirping throughout the course of the game.
Dillon further spoke trash, calling LeBron “old”. In the postgame interview, the Oregon product said:
“I don’t care. He’s old. … I poke bears. I don’t respect no one ’til they come and give me 40.”
Dillon Brooks on his confrontation with LeBron James:
“I don’t care. He’s old…I poke bears. I don’t respect someone until he gives me 40.” 👀
(via @espn_macmahon)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 20, 2023
After these words went viral on social media, several analysts and enthusiasts berated the Grizzlies player for the same.
However, Charles Barkley was one of the few ones to agree with Dillon. Of course, the former NBA legend was being funny when he said:
“He ain’t lying. My man old.”
Chuck criticizes LeBron James and co. for playing with zero energy
Barkley wasn’t shy to admit how proud he was of this unit that handed Bron and co. a loss without 3 important pieces of their roster.
In the episode of “Inside the NBA”, the Round Mound of Rebound praised Taylor Jenkins’ boys while criticising the Purple & Gold’s energy.
“Memphis made me proud tonight. They went out there underman, they competed. As a player and a coach, all you can do is ask your players ‘hey just compete’ and they did that. I was proud of them tonight because we all thought they were gonna lose tonight cause we thought the Lakers would be like ‘hey man, let’s not come back to Memphis’. And they (Lakers) came out with no energy, zero energy. No Ja, no Brandon Clarke, no big Steve (Adams), and they came out there and Memphis just competed.”
It’ll be interesting to see what the outcome of the upcoming games at the Crypto.com Arena will be.
