The Houston Rockets kept their playoff dreams alive on Wednesday night, defeating the Golden State Warriors 131-116 in Game 5 to stave off elimination.
Despite the win, the victory was not without controversy, as Dillon Brooks once again found himself in the spotlight for his physical style of play.
With the series now heading to the Bay Area for Game 6, the Rockets are down 3-2 and facing an uphill battle. Yet, their hopes of a comeback are still intact, though tensions between the two teams continue to rise.
Dillon Brooks accused of targeting Steph Curry’s injured thumb
The most recent controversy stems from accusations that Brooks has been deliberately targeting the thumb injury of Warriors superstar Steph Curry. In Game 4, many fans and analysts noted a sequence in which Brooks appeared to contest a shot while aiming for Curry’s injured thumb. The incident raised questions about Brooks’s intentions, and by Game 5, the accusations escalated further.
The Warriors’ broadcast team openly stated that they believed the Rockets were intentionally focusing on Curry’s thumb, heightening the drama surrounding the series.
When the situation was addressed with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, he acknowledged that while NBA rules do allow such contact, it remained frustrating given Curry’s injury. Kerr’s comments showed his concern but also underscored the league’s leniency on physical play.
Meanwhile, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka chose not to comment on the issue when questioned, leaving the matter unresolved from the Rockets’ perspective. However, Brooks was quick to speak his mind when confronted with the allegations.
“I’ve been playing the game,” Brooks responded bluntly.
“If I had an injured ankle, I would attack that ankle every single time. So whatever they’re saying on the broadcast, they can keep saying it.”
His response only served to fuel the growing tensions between the two sides.
The animosity between the Rockets and Warriors was on full display in Game 5. The game featured an intense moment when a Warriors bench player was ejected for headbutting Alperen Sengun. This incident added further drama to a series already fraught with physicality and off-court controversy.
Brooks’ comments and the escalating tensions between the teams have done little to quell the heated atmosphere surrounding the series. While some may see Brooks’ remarks as part of the competitive edge that playoff basketball demands, others view his approach as crossing a line, particularly with Curry’s thumb injury at the center of the discussion.
As the series moves to Chase Center in San Francisco for Game 6 on Friday night, the stakes are higher than ever.
Both teams will need to channel their emotions carefully if they hope to come out on top. With the series still up for grabs, the stage is set for a dramatic finish in this hard-fought playoff battle.
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