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Dillon Brooks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Team Canada lost to Serbia in the semifinals of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The Serbians’ experience, chemistry, physicality and athleticism were too much for the Canadians to overcome.
Brooks caught the attention of basketball fans yet again when he boasted after his team’s win over Slovenia that he was the NBA’s best defender. The former Memphis Grizzlies star helped contain Luka Doncic to an 8-20 showing in Canada’s win.
Following the loss to the superb Serbs, fans promptly trolled Brooks:
“Everytime Dillon brooks talks his team loses…”
For all of Brooks’ shortcomings, he’s never been short of confidence. He infamously talked trash to LeBron James in last season’s playoffs between the Grizzlies and LA Lakers. Brooks told the media he doesn’t respect anyone who doesn’t drop 40 points on him and he’s about “poking bears.”
“King James” couldn’t explode for 40 points against Memphis but the Lakers crushed Brooks’ team 125-85 in Game 6 to win the series. James later trolled the current Houston Rockets forward regarding all his comments.
Against Serbia, Dillon Brooks’ self-proclaimed NBA-best defense was in trouble all night long against Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Serbian star scattered 23 points on 8-12 shooting, including 3-4 from behind the arc.
Bogdanovic’s savvy play kept Brooks off-balanced and forced Canada’s enforcer to a couple of ill-advised fouls. One of the NBA’s most controversial players did put a solid shift on offense finishing with 16 points but they looked overmatched against Serbia.
Aleksa Avramovic showed Dillon Brooks how to play defense on the international level
While Dillon Brooks did all the talking, Aleksa Avramovic quietly but efficiently did his assignment hounding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Matched up against an All-NBA talent, Avramovic stuck to “SGA” like a leech and limited him to 19 points.
Serbia’s plan, like every team Canada had faced, was to clamp down on the OKC Thunder superstar. More often than not, Gilgeous-Alexander was up to the task of dropping buckets as he averaged 30.9 PPG heading into the semifinals. Against Avramovic, he had his worst game of the tournament in the Canadians’ biggest game.
Dillon Brooks will not likely tone down his trash talk. Next season, he will be the Houston Rockets’ defensive lynchpin. Already, his confrontation against Luka Doncic has the Slovenian raring to go put Brooks in his place.
Love him or hate him, fans almost always have something to say when Brooks opens his mouth.
