- Dillon Brooks and LeBron James were involved in a fiery clash last season
- The two players came face to face as the Rockets defeated the Lakers 128-94
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Lakers forward LeBron James and Rockets star Dillon Brooks reignited their feud from last season’s NBA playoffs as Houston demolished Los Angeles 128-94 on Wednesday.
During the Memphis Grizzlies’ playoff run, which ended with a loss to the Lakers, Brooks earned a reputation as one of the league’s most tenacious defenders and one of the NBA’s most hostile characters.
He called the 38-year-old James “old,” challenged the Lakers star to score 40 points and even punched him in the groin. Seven months later, after Brooks vowed to lock James up, the pair came face-to-face again with a clip of their staredown going viral on social media.
James tried to gain the upper hand several times, especially when he tried to back up Brooks and overpower him in the paint. But the battle continued throughout the match.
While James may have won the individual battle as he finished the night with 18 points, six rebounds and two assists compared to Brooks’ five, four and one, Houston ultimately won the war by handing the Lakers a fifth straight road loss. The season.
Lakers star LeBron James and Rockets Dillon Brooks reignited their feud after Houston’s win
The two players shared a face-to-face staredown from point-blank range early in the night
Brooks and James developed a rivalry during the Grizzles vs. Playoff series. Lakers from last season
The 3-5 Lakers are at the bottom of the Pacific Division, while the Rockets have now won four straight for the first time since winning seven straight at the end of 2021.
“We are taking the right steps,” said first-year coach Ime Udoka. “We’re confident in what we’re doing and it’s starting to mature faster than some people probably thought.”
Houston was led offensively by Jalen Green and scored 28 points despite playing in only three quarters of the lopsided win.
The Rockets scored the first eight points of the game and led by 21 at halftime. They didn’t give up after the break and led by 20 midway through the third period before using an 11-5 run to make it 90-64 with three and a half minutes left in the quarter.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Jae’Sean Tate made 3-pointers in that stretch to power the Rockets.
Green, who made five of six 3-pointers, got hot soon after, scoring all of Houston’s points during a 10-5 run that put the Rockets up 99-71 going into the fourth. Most of both teams’ starters, including Green and James, did not play in the fourth as the game was out of hand.
Rockets guard Jalen Green scored 28 points despite playing only three-quarters of the win
The 21-year-old Green is excited to see Houston’s improvement in his third season after the Rockets were among the league’s worst teams in his first two years.
“It’s a blessing,” he said. ‘I’m just happy with it. I’ve been in a losing category for so long. So it’s good to see the results and the progress of the team.’
Rui Hachimura scored 24 off the bench in his return after missing four games with a concussion as the Lakers lost their third straight game. D’Angelo Russell added 22 points and James had a season-low 18 in a game where Los Angeles was without Anthony Davis, who sat out with a groin injury.
“They’re going to have to deal with a handful this year,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “If they keep up this pace, they will not only be a handful for us, but also for the other 28 teams next to us.”
