The first-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies have gotten off to a spicy start with injuries, ejections, and a lot of trash-talking. The two Western Conference teams are fighting it out, both on the court and off it too. The hot topic? LeBron James and Dillon Brooks.
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As things stand, the Lakers have a 2-1 series lead and have gained home-court advantage by beating Memphis in Game One. The Grizzlies fought back to tie the series at home without their superstar Ja Morant. However, they lost Game Three to give the LA team advantage going into Game Four.
Despite both teams playing high-level basketball, it is the comments by Dillion Brooks that have caught the media’s attention. After winning Game Two, Brooks called out LeBron James in the media scrum and had some humiliating words for one of the game’s greatest players.
LeBron James had some words for Dillion Brooks before Game Three
Dillion Brooks called James ‘old’ in the media after Game Two and challenged him to score forty points to gain his respect. The interview got the NBA world buzzing with people expressing their opinions on the internet. LeBron, however, said he does not have time for this ‘bulls**t’ when asked by the reporters.
Recently, a video has been making the rounds on social media, where LeBron is seen to be having words with Brooks during the pre-game routine. Though the audio is unclear, lip readers seemed to have decoded the conversation. Here is what LeBron said:
“LeBron: Just to let you know, you cause too many problems. Your crazy a** is doing nothing, but fooling around.
LeBron: You know nothing. You ain’t ready for me. Make some shots. Do your Job!”
LeBron broke Dillon Brooks pic.twitter.com/cM8ynfaKI0
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) April 23, 2023
Did King James’ words impact Dillion Brooks in Game Three?
LeBron may be the most skilled basketball player in the world, but he is also known for his sharp mind and ability to break down his opponents mentally. It is possible that he decided to use this tactic against Brooks and was successful in doing so.
The Memphis forward, known to cross the line at times, was ejected for an inadvertent contact and non-basketball play on LeBron James. Before the ejection, Brooks had only seven points while shooting a terrible 23% from the field. He seemed to be off his rhythm and was unable to impact the game.
LeBron’s words during warm-up likely impacted Brooks mentally. It may have also stirred him up and caused him to make a dirty play. While it is not confirmed, it did look a lot like manipulation.
