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Dillon Brooks' latest feud is against LeBron James amid their 2023 NBA playoffs first-round battle. Brooks has had plenty to say so far even before the series even started. He welcomed the challenge of facing James, claiming it was a good test and that the Grizzlies would knock out the Lakers superstar in the first round.
The Grizzlies succumbed to a 128-112 Game 1 loss but bounced back with a 103-93 win in Game 2 without Ja Morant. Brooks engaged with James in a back-and-forth on the court and had many things to say in the post-game press conference.
Brooks said he doesn't care about trash-talking James because he is "old" and won't have his respect if he doesn't drop a 40-piece. Brooks called James a legend but said he was just another player for him on the court when he lined up against him.
LeBron James has been in the league for a long time. Many players who happened to be his rivals on the grand stage over the last few years happened to be his fans at one point. An 11-year-old tweet from Dillon Brooks emerged after his bold comments about LeBron that suggested he was once an admirer too. Here's what the tweet read:
"Its about dam time" the champion Lebron James"
Brooks tweeted James' quote after winning his first-ever NBA championship as a member of the Miami Heat in 2012. It's safe to assume Brooks wants to take down James in the playoffs, as that may have been one of his personal goals entering the NBA.
There's a sense of accomplishment that may come with it because of LeBron James' legacy and the fact that Dillon Brooks was once a fan of the LA Lakers superstar.
LeBron James finds his rhythm but LA Lakers drop Game 2
LeBron James didn't dominate Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies, bagging 21 points on 50.0% shooting. He impacted the game on many levels, but not as much in the clutch to earn credit for the Lakers' win. Rui Hachimura (29 points) and Austin Reaves (23 points) were the key architects of that victory.
However, it didn't take James too long to find his rhythm offensively in the next contest. He had 28 points on 52.5% shooting. James also inspired the Lakers to nearly erase a 20-point deficit on a night where only Rui Hachimura got going apart from him.
However, James' efforts weren't enough, as the Lakers didn't get the same contributions across the board as the Grizzlies. Memphis had six players scoring in double digits. Their intensity remained unparalleled for most of the game, resulting in the Lakers' loss.
However, LeBron James finding his aggressiveness on offense is a positive the Lakers can take into Games 3 and 4 at home. It will be the first time James will play a postseason game with the arena in full capacity during his tenure with the franchise.
The Lakers didn't make the playoffs in his debut year, played in the "Orlando Bubble" during their championship run in 2020 and played with limited seats in the building during their 2021 first-round series loss to the Suns due to Covid-19 restrictions. The Lakers failed to make the playoffs in 2022.
