Dillon Brooks consistently finds himself making headlines whenever he faces LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. In the latest incident, it was Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, not LeBron, engaging in a heated exchange with the Houston Rockets playmaker.
As reported by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Vanderbilt was ejected from Monday’s game after receiving two technical fouls for his altercations with Brooks. The first technical was issued for shoving Brooks in the chest, and the second followed when he poked the 28-year-old in the head.
Jarred Vanderbilt was ejected after getting into it with Dillon Brooks https://t.co/EsciY2A7rI
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 30, 2024
Frustration seemed evident for Vanderbilt and the Lakers, given that Houston established a double-digit lead in the first quarter, gaining quick control of the game. Vanderbilt, coming off the bench, contributed three points and one steal in seven minutes before his ejection.
Brooks has a history of not backing down when facing the Lakers, especially LeBron James. In last season’s playoffs as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooks engaged in verbal exchanges and trash talk with James, even being ejected from one game due to a flagrant-2 foul. Despite the confrontation, James led the Lakers to a series victory.
LeBron’s caption on his latest IG post 👀🐻 pic.twitter.com/l4gf7FOgUU
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 29, 2023
This offseason, Brooks signed with the Rockets, ensuring more matchups against James and the Lakers. Houston, trailing the Lakers and Utah Jazz by two games, is in contention for the Western Conference play-in tournament, making head-to-head clashes crucial.
While the Lakers may experience frustration with Brooks, incidents like Vanderbilt’s ejection on Monday highlight the team’s vulnerability when short-handed and emphasize the significance of maintaining composure in critical games.
