Dillon Brooks once again showed why his name is inevitably linked to provocation in the NBA. During the matchup in which the Phoenix Suns defeated the Brooklyn Nets 106-102, the forward took his personal brand to a new level in a play that instantly created tension and left behind an image that was hard to ignore.
It all happened on a loose ball, as his teammate Jamaree Bouyea and a Brooklyn player fought for possession on the floor. Brooks came in from behind and grabbed the ball with such force that he ended up lifting his opponent off the ground along with it. The play did not go unnoticed and sparked an immediate reaction from Egor Demin, who, visibly frustrated, shoved Brooks from behind and sent him to the floor.
Provocation, reaction, and a smile that said everything
Instead of getting up angrily, Dillon Brooks responded with a smile that stole all the attention. It wasn’t just any smile. It was an expression that seemed to anticipate exactly what was going to happen, as if the opponent’s reaction were part of the plan.
Dillon finished the game as the second leading scorer for his team, just one point behind teammate Mark Williams, who ended the night with 27 points while Brooks added 26. On the other side, Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 36 points, while Egor Demin did not appear in the box score.
That sequence perfectly captured Brooks’ essence within the league. For some he’s uncomfortable, for others downright irritating, but his psychological impact on opponents is undeniable. Dillon Brooks doesn’t just play the game with the ball; he plays it with his mind and once again, he proved he knows exactly how to push his opponents to the limit… and enjoy it. Could it be called dirty play, or is it simply strategy, his way?
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